Examination of Perceived Stress, Aggression and Anger Levels in Physically Disabled Athletes

Year 2026, Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 60 - 66, 25.01.2026

Bayram Omer Getiren , Yasin Ersöz

https://doi.org/10.33438/ijdshs.1824814

https://izlik.org/JA86AC35FT

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the perceived stress, aggression, and anger levels of physically disabled athletes according to age, gender, perceived income level, years of athletic experience, and type of sport (individual or team), and to examine the relationships among these variables. The study employed a relational screening model and was conducted with 149 physically disabled athletes aged 18 years and older who were actively involved in sports in private clubs across Turkey. Data were collected using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Sports Aggression and Anger Scale (SAAS). The results showed that anger and SAAS scores differed significantly according to type of sport, while aggression levels differed significantly by age group, gender, perceived income level, and years of athletic experience (p<0.05). No significant group differences were found in perceived stress levels across demographic variables. A low-level positive relationship was observed between anger and aggression (r = 0.315, p<0.001), and strong positive relationships between anger and SAAS score (r = 0.790, p<0.001) as well as between aggression and SAAS score (r = 0.831, p<0.001). Perceived stress was not significantly correlated with aggression or anger (p>0.05). These findings highlight the importance of considering demographic and sport-related factors in understanding aggression and anger among physically disabled athletes, while suggesting that perceived stress may remain stable across different athlete characteristics.

Keywords

sically Disabled , Stress , Anger , Aggression

Ethical Statement

Prior to data collection, ethical approval was obtained from the Mersin University Social and Human Sciences Ethics Committee (Decision No: 378, Date: 08.11.2022). Participation was voluntary, and all participants were informed that they could withdraw from the study at any time without penalty.

Supporting Institution

NA

Project Number

NA

Thanks

NA

References

• Al Harthy, S. S., Hammad, M. A., & Awed, H. S. (2025). Association between social inclusion and mental health among people with disabilities engaged in sports clubs: A cross-sectional survey. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, Article 1504352. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Altun, F. B. (2014). Evaluation of the effect of participation in sportive activities on the quality of life of physically disabled individuals. Journal of Sports Management and Information Technology, 9 (1–2).
• Arnold, R., & Fletcher, D. (2012). Research synthesis and taxonomic classification of the organizational stressors encountered by sport performers. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 34 (3), 397-429. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Bentzen, M., Kenttä, G., Karls, T., & Fagher, K. (2022). Monitoring mental distress in Para athletes in preparation, during and after the Beijing Paralympic Games 2022: A 22-week prospective mixed-method study. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, 945073. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24 (4), 385–396. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Conway, F. N., Todaro, S. M., Lesnewich, L. M., de Souza, N. L., Nolen, E., Samora, J., Jeong, H., & Buckman, J. F. (2024). Athletes and aggression: A systematic review of physical and verbal off-field behaviors. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 78, 101977. [CrossRef]
• Çil, H., İlter, İ., & İlhan, E. L. (2023). To be or not to be Athlete: Positive Thinking and Stress in Individuals with Physical Disabilities. CBU Journal of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 18(1), 38-49. [CrossRef]
• Eskin, M., Harlak, H., Demirkıran, F., & Dereboy, Ç. (2013). Adaptation of the Perceived Stress Scale into Turkish: Reliability and validity analysis. Yeni Symposium Journal, 51(3), 132-140.
• Esentaş, M., Gürer, B., Kılınç, Z., & Şahin, H. M. (2014).Examination of stress levels of hearing-impaired and physically disabled athletes in terms of some demographic variables. The Journal of Academic Social Science, 3, 352–359. [CrossRef]
• Fletcher, D., Hanton, S., & Wagstaff, C. R. D. (2012). Performers’ responses to stressors encountered in sport organisations. Journal of Sports Sciences, 30 (4), 349-358. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Gürbüz, B., Kural, S., & Özbek, O. (2019). Sports aggression and anger scale: A study of validity and reliability. Sportive Perspective: Journal of Sports and Educational Sciences, 6 (2), 206-217.
• Hudson, J., & Day, M. C. (2012). Athletes' experiences of expressive writing about sports stressors. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 13 (6), 798-806. [CrossRef]
• Işık, M., Kılıç, İ., & Aksoy, K. (2017). Aggression levels of hearing impaired athletes: A comparison on individual and team sports. Journal of Human Sciences, 14 (4), 3221-3229. [CrossRef]
• Jaarsma, E. A., & Smith, B. (2018). Promoting physical activity for disabled people who are ready to become physically active: A systematic review. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 37, 205-223. [CrossRef]
• Kruglanski, A. W., Ellenberg, M., Szumowska, E., Molinario, E., Speckhard, A., Leander, N. P., Pierro, A., Di Cicco, G., & Bushman, B. J. (2023). Frustration aggression hypothesis reconsidered: The role of significance quest. Aggressive Behavior, 49(5), 445–468. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Maxwell, J. P., & Moores, E. (2007). The development of a short scale measuring aggressiveness and anger in competitive athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 8 (2), 179–193. [CrossRef]
• Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
• Swartz, L., Bantjes, J., & Hocking, W. (2021). Athletes with disabilities and mental health: A systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(18), 1047–1053. [CrossRef]
• Silva, J. M. (1983). The perceived legitimacy of rule violating behavior in sport. Journal of Sport Psychology, 5(4), 438–448. [CrossRef]
• Sofia, R., & Cruz, J. F. (2017). Unveiling anger and aggression in sports: The effects of type of sport, competitive category and success level. Revista de Psicología del Deporte, 26(2), 21-28.
• Taily, T. A., & Bhat, W. A. (2023). A comparative study of aggression between team sports and individual sports. Sports Science & Health Advances, 1(1), 27–30. [CrossRef]
• Urbański, P. K., Brewer, B. W., Starczewski, M., Ng, K., Tasiemski, T., & Tomczak, M. (2025). Sleep and stress in athletes with disabilities around the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games during the pandemic. Scientific Reports, 15, 6822. [CrossRef]
• Woodman, T., & Hardy, L. (2001). A case study of organizational stress in elite sport. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 13 (2), 207–238. [CrossRef]
• World Health Organization. (2025). Disabilities. WHO. https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability?utm _source=chatgpt.com#tab=tab_1
• Yardimci, F. B., & Kulunkoglu, B. (2022). Examination of anxiety, depression, and stress levels of athletes preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Gazi Journal of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, 27 (1), 89–100. [CrossRef]
• Youngson, L., Foster, C., & Lambert, J. (2023). The physical and mental health benefits of lifestyle sports for disabled people: A scoping review. Int J Disabil Sports Health Sci, 6(1), 60–81. [CrossRef]