Competitive Behavior and Its Relationship to Psychological Stress Among Football Players in Wasit Governorate Third-Division Club League
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26400/Sep./69/4Keywords:
Competitive Behavior, Psychological Stress, Football Players.Abstract
This study aims to identify the reality of competitive behavior and psychological stress among football players in the third-division club league of Wasit Governorate for the (2025–2026) season, as well as to examine the nature and strength of the correlational relationship between competitive behavior and psychological stress among the players.
The researcher adopted a descriptive approach using survey and correlational methods, as it best suited the nature of the research problem and objectives. The research population was purposively selected, consisting of (225) third-division football players from (11) clubs in Wasit Governorate who were officially registered in the league draw for the (2025–2026) season, excluding non-participating clubs.
The significance of the study lies in highlighting the relationship between competitive behavior and psychological stress, contributing to players' psychological and physical development. It also provides empirical data for coaches, sports psychologists, and club management to design comprehensive psychological support programs that enhance performance and channel competitive behavior positively.
The main conclusions indicated a moderate positive correlation between competitive behavior and psychological stress among the third-division football players in Wasit Governorate clubs. The study recommends that coaches utilize these findings as an essential psychological database to better understand players' competitive behavior and stress responses, optimizing their on-field performance to achieve victory.
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