Bekir Erhan Orhan, Buket Karadağ, Yuni Astuti, Aydin Karaçam, Umut Canli, Karuppasamy Govindasamy
This study aims to answer whether women's self-worth assessments regarding physical activity vary based on age, marital status, education level, and whether or not they have a sports license. A total of 242 women aged 18-60 residing in Turkiye were selected through simple random sampling. The participants were classified into young adults (18-39 years) and middle-aged adults (40-60 years) based on life stages identified in the literature. Data were gathered using the “Women's Physical Activity Self-Worth Inventory (WPASWI)”, developed by Huberty et al. (2013) and validated in Turkish by Yurtçiçek and Kömürcü (2019), alongside a demographic questionnaire. The findings revealed significant effects of educational attainment and athletic participation on self-worth. Women with higher education scored higher in knowledge (x̄ =54.61, SD=9.82) and emotional self-worth (x̄ =45.60, SD=8.09) than those with primary education (x̄ =47.70, SD=15.57 and x̄ =38.23, SD=13.61, respectively; F(2, 239)=7.110, p<.05). Women who held an athlete's license demonstrated greater self-worth (x̄ =124.75, SD=13.30) compared to non-athletes (x̄ =114.54, SD=23.56; t=3.53, p=.001), with notable differences in knowledge and emotional dimensions but not in the social sub-dimension. These results highlight the role of education and athletic involvement in fostering women's self-worth. Tailored strategies emphasizing personalized and socially inclusive approaches are essential to enhance engagement in physical activity. Promoting regular participation in physical activity remains pivotal to improving well-being and self-worth across diverse demographics. © 2025 Montenegrin Sports Academy. All rights reserved.
Istanbul Aydın University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey; Istanbul Aydın University, Faculty of Education, Istanbul, Turkey; Universitas Negeri Padang, Faculty of Sport Science, Sumatera Barat, Indonesia; Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Balıkesir, Turkey; Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Tekirdağ, Turkey; Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Department of Sports, Recreation and Wellness, Telangana, Rangareddy, India
