TESTING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOTIVATION IN SPORTS, SELF-EFFICACY AND ATTITUDE TO SPORT BY STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING

Nowadays, as technology advances, individuals spend less time participating in sports, while the prevalence of ailments such as obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease rises. Sports have been shown in studies to improve both physical and mental development. Aside from being physically adaptation, participating in sports may help you cope with stress, overcome sadness and anxiety, and live a happier and more fulfilling life. The purpose of this study was to predict the self-efficacy and motivation levels of university students from the School of Physical Education and Sports/Faculty of Sports Sciences, as well as their attitudes toward sports, and to test the relationship between them using the structural equation model. 957 students (Nfemale =408, Nmale =549) studying at the School of Physical Education and Sports / Faculty of Sports Sciences of different universities participated in the study. The "Sport Motivation Scale II," "General Self-Efficacy Scale," and "Sport-Oriented Attitude Scale" were used to collect data. The structural equation model was used to evaluate the structural relationship between attitude toward sports, self-efficacy, and sport motivation. Path Analysis were used to uncover the theoretically accepted relationship between students' sports motivation, selfefficacy, and attitudes about sports. The structural equation model built for the entire sample group was determined to be significant as a consequence of the research. According to the study's findings, students' motivation and self-efficacy levels in sports positively and significantly predict their attitude toward sports.