Halil Sarol

Introduction: Previous research has shown that leisure activities can positively influence perceived health outcomes by increasing individuals’ levels of physical activity. Yet, little has been discovered about the mechanisms that are driving this association. This study was conducted with the aim of examining the relationship between perceived health outcomes of recreation and happiness as well as the mediating effect of resilience.Methods: The study comprised a total of 451 adult individuals residing in seven different geographical regions of Turkey, who were included using a convenience sampling method, and the data were collected between March and June 2023. Respondents completed assessments utilizing the Perceived Health Outcomes of Recreation, Brief Resilience Scale, and The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire-Short Form. Data analysis was executed employing the PROCESS macro for SPSS.Results: The study’s findings revealed that perceived health outcomes of recreation had a positive effect on both happiness (β = 0.146, [95% CI: 0.106, 0.186]) and resilience (β = 0.156, [95% CI: 0.107, 0.205]). Resilience had a positive effect on happiness (β = 0.435, [95% CI: 0.362, 0.507]). Furthermore, the relationship between perceived health outcomes of recreation and happiness was partially mediated by resilience (β = 0.068, [95% CI: 0.042, 0.096]).Conclusion: As a result, participating in leisure activities has been found to have a positive impact on perceived health outcomes, which in turn positively affects both happiness and resilience. Additionally, psychological resilience can be said to partially mediate the relationship between perceived health outcomes of recreation and happiness.

This study aimed to identify the leisure needs of prisoners and the significance of leisure activities in prisons. The research is a qualitative study designed using a phenomenological approach. Participants were selected using criterion sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods. The study group for this research consists of 21 male prisoners who have been incarcerated and are currently serving time in Manisa Open Prison. The researchers obtained the data using a semi-structured interview form, which was then analysed using content analysis methods. In terms of credibility, transferability, consistency, and confirmability of the research, direct quotations were used, the research process was explained in detail, and the agreement rate was calculated as 0.83 using Miles and Huberman” 's (1994) reliability formula. All data were kept ensuring verifiability. The findings revealed that most participants associate the concept of time with life and define it as the period between birth and death. Similarly, freedom is perceived as living freely and being with loved ones. The concept of obstacle or constraint is associated with being in prison. In their leisure, participants expressed a desire to spend time with their family and children when they are not incarcerated. Leisure activities in prisons are important, but also insufficient. Leisure activities should adequately contribute to working life after release.

The aims of this study is to examine the effects of caffeine intake in sprinters on reaction time, speed, acceleration and balance. A total of 31 sprinters (18 female, 13 male) from the athletics team of university faculty of sports sciences participated in the study. Sprinters were divided into two groups, caffeine and placebo, and their balance, reaction time, 30-meter running time and 15-meter acceleration performances were measured. The Wilcoxon t-Test and the Mann-Whitney U test were applied to the data obtained on the SPSS 23.0 package program. As a result of the study, the number of errors in the balance test decreased significantly in both the experimental group and the control group while a significant decrease was observed in block takeoff reaction time only in the experimental group. In conclusion, it was determined that while caffeine intake did not have a significant effect on acceleration and running times, block take off reaction time created a significant difference in the experimental group and could provide an advantage to the sprinters. Therefore, it can be said that caffeinated gum may be a good ergogenic aid to improve reaction performance in sprinters.

In football, diet has a highly important role in the development of performance. Assessing the nutrition-related knowledge of footballers and increasing their awareness may affect their health and performance. In this study, which was carried out for this purpose, whether the Mediterranean diet had an effect on the gastrointestinal health of professional footballers was investigated. The sample of the study included a total of 196 active licensed male footballers who were professional players in the 2nd and 3rd football leagues of Turkey. The mean age of the participants was 23.46±4.18 and their mean experience in licensed football was 11.73±5.07 years. The adherence of the participants to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener, while the frequencies of gastrointestinal symptoms were examined using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. The data were transferred to the SPSS 26.0 program and analyzed using Pearson’s Correlation Analysis, Independent-Samples T-Tests, One-Way ANOVA and descriptive statistics. According to the results of the analyses, no significant relationship was found between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and gastrointestinal symptoms (p>0.05). While the gastrointestinal symptom scores of the participants did not vary significantly based on their league tiers or positions (p>0.05), their Mediterranean diet adherence scores varied significantly based on their league tiers (p<0.05). Consequently, it was determined that the adherence of the participants to the Mediterranean diet increased as their league tier increased, but adherence to the Mediterranean diet did not create any positive or negative effect on their gastrointestinal system symptoms.

Introduction: The aim of this phenomenological study is to determine the motivational factors in the participation of wheelchair basketball players in sports according to Self-Determination Theory.Methods: The study group of the research was determined by the criterion sampling method, which is one of the purposeful sampling methods. Accordingly, thirteen (13) wheelchair athletes constituted the study group. In the research, a personal information form and a semi-structured interview form were prepared as data collection tools within the framework of the self-determination theory. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with the prepared interview forms. The data were analyzed by reflexive thematic analysis method.Results: Six (6) themes emerged: constraints, coping strategies, appreciation, positive feedback, need for existence, and development. Sixteen sub-themes related to these themes were identified.Conclusion: The most significant factors causing a lack of motivation in wheelchair basketball athletes were observed to be structural constraints such as access to materials and facilities. Extrinsic sources of motivation were identified as the positive attitudes and behaviors of individuals in their environment, often related to admiration, appreciation, and being set as an example, and this situation has a positive impact on wheelchair basketball athletes. On the other hand, it can be stated that intrinsic motivations such as identity change, gaining self-confidence, and the feeling of success are crucial in overcoming constraints through sports participation.