OPERATIONALIZATION OF PHYSICAL WORK ABILITY OF YOUNG ATHLETES IN TERMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

Abstract

Purpose of the empirical research is to operationalize physical work ability of young athletes in the dimensions of psychological well-being. The research participants comprise Group 1 – male and female athletes in team sports (n=46; 52.87%): football and handball, and Group 2 – male and female athletes in individual sports (n=41; 47.13%): rhythmic gymnastics and boxing. Methods: the questionnaire “The Scales of psychological wellbeing” (“SPW”) (Ryff, 1989; adapted by N. Lepeshinsky, 2007); Ruffier’s Index (RI) was determined by the author’s trial – J. Ruffier (1951), adapted by S. Vozniy and I. Malyarenko (2020); the questionnaire “Мotivation for achieving success” (“MAS”) T. Elers (2002). Results. It was established that junior athletes in team sports (Group 1) have a statistically significant advantage by two dimensions: positive relations (PR) (U=566.00; p=.001) and environment management (EM) (U=598.00; p=.003). A statistically significant advantage of junior athletes in individual sports was registered by four parameters (Group 2): self-acceptance (SA) (U=378.00; p=.000), personal growth (PG) (U=393.00; p=.000), Ruffier’s Index (RI) (U=612.00; p=.005) and motivation for achieving success (MAS) (U=562.00; p=.001). We identified four statistically significant correlations by (р≤.01) Ruffier’s Index in Group 1 with the following parameters: motivation for achieving success, psychological wellbeing, purpose in life, positive relations; three statistically significant correlations (р≤.05; р≤.01) in Group 2: motivation for achieving success, positive relations and autonomous position. It was found that the respondents with a high level of physical work ability (Group I) have an advantage by the parameters PWB (U=651.500; p=.021) and MAS (U=46.500; p=.000). Conclusions. The research focuses on permanent orientation of the representatives of individual sports (Group 2) towards internalized personal development that makes them strongly dissatisfied with their personal achievements and high indexes of physical work ability do not result in psychological well-being (rs=.182; p>.05). The study highlights that a high level of physical work ability of young athletes (Group I) is accompanied by high indexes of motivation for achieving success and psychological well-being. It was generalized that operationalization of physical work ability in the dimensions of psychological well-being allowed discovering a number of important scientific facts which should be introduced into educational and training process of juniors.