Examining the Role of Individuals’ Physical Literacy Levels on Sport Confidence

Emre Can Iğdır

doi:10.53434/gbesbd.1844052

Examining the Role of Individuals’ Physical Literacy Levels on Sport Confidence

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between individuals’ physical literacy levels and their levels of athletic confidence. The research, conducted using a correlational survey design, included 240 students enrolled in sports sciences faculties at public universities across Turkey. Data obtained from participants in the study were collected using the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI) and Sports trait Self-Confidence Scale (STSCS). Findings revealed that participants scored above average on both measurement instruments. Gender emerged as a significant differentiating factor in sport confidence scores, with male students demonstrating higher confidence levels compared to their female counterparts (p<0.05). However, no significant gender difference was found in physical literacy awareness scores (p>0.05). Analysis also indicated that physical literacy awareness has a moderate positive correlation with sport confidence (r=.290, p<0.001). Based on these findings, physical literacy awareness appears to play a important role in the development of sport confidence. The results offer important implications for physical education practitioners and sport psychologists, particularly in designing interventions that simultaneously address physical literacy development and confidence building among university students.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

This study was ethically approved by the decision of the Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Ethics Commission dated 09/10/2025 and numbered 2025/20-02.

References

Adıyaman, C. (2022). Tenis, yüzme ve futbol branşlarında uzmanlık alan öğrencilerin öz güven ve öz yeterlilik düzeylerinin incelenmesi [Yüksek lisans tezi, Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi]. YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
Akarsu, M., Güllü, M., & Doğar, Y. (2024). Perceived Physical Literacy Scale for Secondary School Students: A study on validity and reliability. Spor Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 9(2), 149-162.
Akgönül, E. K., Özen, G., & Dilekçi, U. (2023). Amatör futbolcularda sportif sürekli kendine güven düzeyinin farklı değişkenler açısından incelenmesi. Kafkas Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 3(3), 137-149.
Başoğlu, U. D. (2018). Patika oryantiring sporuna katılan bireylerin cinsiyet değişkenine göre özgüven düzeylerinin incelenmesi. Gaziantep Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 3(1), 31-39.
Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2017). Sosyal bilimler için veri analizi el kitabı [Manual of data analysis for social sciences]. Pegem.
Büyüköztürk, Ş., Çokluk, Ö., & Köklü, N. (2016). Sosyal bilimler için istatistik [Statistics for social sciences]. Pegem.
Cairney, J., Dudley, D., Kwan, M., Bulten, R., & Kriellaars, D. (2019). Physical literacy, physical activity and health: Toward an evidence-informed conceptual model. Sports Medicine, 49(3), 371-383.
Chalabaev, A., Sarrazin, P., Fontayne, P., Boiché, J., & Clément-Guillotin, C. (2013). The influence of sex stereotypes and gender roles on participation and performance in sport and exercise: Review and future directions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(2), 136-144.

Choi, S. M., Sum, R. K. W., Leung, E. F. L., & Ng, R. S. K. (2018). Relationship between perceived physical literacy and physical activity levels among Hong Kong adolescents. PLoS ONE, 13(8), e0203105.
Cohen, J. (2013). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Routledge.
Dawson, B. D., & Trapp, R. G. (2001). Reading the medical literature: Basic & Clinical Biostatistics. Lange Medical Book. McGraw–Hill. Medical Publication Division, New York, 3, 7-9.
Dudley, D., Cairney, J., Wainwright, N., Kriellaars, D., & Mitchell, D. (2017). Critical considerations for physical literacy policy in public health, recreation, sport, and education agencies. Quest, 69(4), 436-452.
Edwards, L. C., Bryant, A. S., Keegan, R. J., Morgan, K., & Jones, A. M. (2017). Definitions, foundations and associations of physical literacy: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 47(1), 113-126.
Ekinci, N. E., Özdilek, Ç., Deryahanoğlu, G., & Üstün, Ü. D. (2014). Spor yapan lise öğrencilerinin öz güven düzeylerinin incelenmesi. Sportif Bakış: Spor ve Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 1(1), 36-42.
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A. G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G* Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior research methods, 39(2), 175-191.
Gardner, H. (2017). Physical literacy on the move: Games for developing confidence and competence in physical activity. Human Kinetics.
George, D., & Mallery, P. (2018). Reliability analysis. In IBM SPSS statistics 25 step by step (pp. 249-260). Routledge.
Ichraf, A., Ali, B. M., Khaled, T., Liwa, M., & Ali, E. (2013). Effect of gender and type of sport on anxiety and self-esteem. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 2(3), 55-61.
Iğdır, E. C., Çakır, T., Cantürk, A., & Pekel, A. O. (2024). Erken ergenlik dönemindeki bireylerin bedensel okuryazarlık ve benlik algısı düzeylerinin karşılaştırılması. Herkes için Spor ve Rekreasyon Dergisi, 6(1), 86-91.
International Physical Literacy Association. (n.d.). Definition of physical literacy. https://www.physical-literacy.org.uk/
Jurbala, P. (2015). What is physical literacy, really?. Quest, 67(4), 367-383.
Kocaekşi, S., & Yıldırım, I. Ö. (2020). Güreşçilerde zihinsel dayanıklılık, öz yeterlik inancı ve sportif kendine güven düzeylerinin incelenmesi. Uluslararası Güncel Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 6(2), 392-406.
Lirgg, C. D. (1991). Gender differences in self-confidence in physical activity: A meta-analysis of recent studies. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 13(3), 294-310.
Lundvall, S. (2015). Physical literacy in the field of physical education–A challenge and a possibility. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 4(2), 113-118.
Mandigo, J., Francis, N., Lodewyk, K., & Lopez, R. (2009). Physical literacy for educators. Physical & Health Education Journal, 75(3).
Sert, T. (2022). Sporun üniversite öğrencilerinin özgüven düzeylerine etkisi [Yüksek lisans tezi, İnönü Üniversitesi]. YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
Taş, H., & Altunsöz, İ. H. (2021). Bedensel okuryazarlık kavramı ve önemi. Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 32(3), 109-122.
Taylor, J., & Wilson, G. S. (2005). Applying sport psychology: Four perspectives. Human Kinetics.
Tolukan, E., & Akyel, Y. (2019). Futbolda antrenör-sporcu ilişkisi ve sürekli sportif kendine güven üzerine bir araştirma. SPORMETRE Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 17(1), 103-112.
Tomporowski, P. D., Davis, C. L., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2008). Exercise and children’s intelligence, cognition, and academic achievement. Educational psychology review, 20(2), 111-131.
Trochim, W., & Donnelly, J. (2006). The research knowledge methods base. Atomic Dog Publishing.
Ülker, Ş. G. (2019). Spor okur-yazarlığı kavramının antrenör, spor yöneticisi ve beden eğitimi öğretmenlerinin bakış açıları ile irdelenmesi: İstanbul örneği [Doktora tezi, Marmara Üniversitesi]. YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
Vealey, R. S. (1986). Conceptualization of sport-confidence and competitive orientation: Preliminary investigation and instrument development. Journal of Sport Psychology, 8(3), 221-246.
Vealey, R. S., & Chase, M. A. (2008). Self-confidence in sport. In T. S. Horn (Ed.), Advances in sport psychology (3rd ed., pp. 66-97). Human Kinetics.
Whitehead 1, M. (2001). The concept of physical literacy. European Journal of Physical Education, 6(2), 127-138.
Whitehead, M. (2010). Physical literacy: Throughout the lifecourse. Routledge.
Whitehead, M. (2013). What is physical literacy and how does it impact on physical education. In S. Capel & M. Whitehead (Eds.), Debates in physical education (pp. 37-52). Routledge.
Woodman, T., & Hardy, L. (2003). The relative impact of cognitive anxiety and self-confidence upon sport performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21(6), 443-457.
World Health Organization & United Nations Children’s Fund. (2025). Levels and trends in child malnutrition: Key findings of the 2025 edition. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2018). Global action plan on physical activity 2018-2030: More active people for a healthier world. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2025). Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
Yan, W., Nie, M., Ma, R., Guo, Q., & Li, H. (2024). The influence of physical literacy of students with different obesity levels on physical fitness: The mediating effect of MVPA. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1463108.
Yıldırım, F. (2013). Sportif sürekli kendine güven alt ölçeğinin uyarlanması ve ortaöğretim kurumlarındaki öğrencilerde sportif sürekli kendine güvenin çeşitli değişkenler açısından incelenmesi [Yüksek lisans tezi, Mersin Üniversitesi]. YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
Yılmaz, A., Zorlu, Y., & Aslantürk, O. (2023). Beden okuryazarlığı fiziksel aktivite davranışı ve ders dışı sportif etkinlikler arasındaki ilişki. Gazi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 28(3), 231-243.
Young, L., O’Connor, J., Alfrey, L., & Penney, D. (2021). Assessing physical literacy in health and physical education. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 12(2), 156-179.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Sport and Exercise Psychology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Emre Can Iğdır ^*
0000-0002-6701-7048
Türkiye

Publication Date

March 30, 2026

Submission Date

December 17, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 13, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 31 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.53434/gbesbd.1844052

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA44WM97KB

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Iğdır, E. C. (2026). Examining the Role of Individuals’ Physical Literacy Levels on Sport Confidence. Gazi Journal of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 31(1), 49-54. https://doi.org/10.53434/gbesbd.1844052