GENDER, SPORT TYPES AND THE SELF-EFFICACY OF COLLIGIATE ATHLETES IN OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE, OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between gender, sport type and self-efficacy of individual and team sports athletes; and compared the self-efficacy of individual and team sport athletes of Obafemi Awolowo Universities, Ile-Ife. Descriptive survey research design was employed for this study. The population comprised all athletes in Obafemi Awolowo University; Ile-Ife while sample size consisted of 480 athletes selected from 16 NUGA accredited sports using simple random sampling technique. Thirty athletes were selected from 16 sports using convenience sampling techniques. A self-designed and validated questionnaire titled the 'Athletic Self-Efficacy Scale' (ASES) was used to elicit information on the athlete's self-efficacy during sports performance. Collected data were analysed using simple percentages, t-test, relative significant index and Pearson correlations analysis showing the relationship between self-efficacy of individual and team sport athletes based on gender and sport types. Result showed that there were significant correlations between gender (r =0.033, p<.05); sport types (r =-.037, p<.05) and self-efficacy in individual and team sport athletes in O.A.U., Ile-Ife. The study concluded that gender, sport types and selfefficacy are related significantly amongst individual and team sport athletes of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria