Motivation for Sports Participation in Paralympic Athletes
Chapter from the book:
Uluç,
E.
A.
&
Uluç,
S.
&
Atçeken,
D.
H.
(eds.)
2024.
Academic Research and Evaluations in the Field of Sports Sciences IV.
Synopsis
Paralympic athletes have a rich potential in terms of motivation to participate in sports. Despite their physical disabilities, these athletes use their individual development and desire for social acceptance as a source of motivation as well as the benefits of sports. While participation in sports increases the social interactions of people with disabilities, it also positively affects their physical and mental health. Among the basic elements of motivation are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. While intrinsic motivation is based on individuals seeing sports not as a goal, but as a means of enjoyment and self-development; Extrinsic motivation is associated with factors such as reward, recognition, and social acceptance. Paralympic athletes' high motivation to participate helps them improve not only their physical performance, but also their psychological and social skills. In this context, sports are an important tool that increases the living standards of people with disabilities, reinforces their self-confidence and ensures their integration with society. Based on all these, in this section, the motivation to participate in sports in Paralympic athletes is mentioned.