AN EVALUATION OF THE WRESTLERS’ BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS AND DEPRESSION LEVELS IN WRESTLING CENTERS WITH RESPECT TO VARIOUS VARIABLES

The aim of this study is to investigate wrestlers’ basic psychological needs and depression levels in wrestling centers according to various variables (social environment, parents education levels and family’s economic status). The study was conducted to 409 student wrestlers between 12 and 17 ages, who are getting training from 23 different wrestling centers, which are located different regions and operate General Management of Youthfulness and Sport in the term of 2008–2009. “Basic Psychological Needs scale” and “Depression Scale for Children” used as a tool for collecting data in this study. In the analysis of the data gathered, Kruskal Wallis Test was used according to the variables investigated. According to data gathered from Basic Psychological Needs Scale; if students social environment variable origins from village, they have high level of autonomy needs than those in district and metropolitan origins, and also if students’ father educational level is primary or secondary school they have sufficiency and high level of care needs than students whose father education is from high school and university; in addition, if students’ family income level is over 800 TL, they have high level of autonomy than those with under 800 TL of income level. The result of Depression Scale for Children data revealed that if students social environment variable origins from village, they have high depression level than those in district and metropolitan origins and students whose family income level is over 800 TL, they have high level autonomy than under 800 TL. In addition, there is, also, no meaningful different depression level found among students with different parent educational origins. As a result, it has been determined that; while social environment, education and income level of parents affect basic psychological needs, social environment and income level of parents affect depression level.