7-8 klasių merginų ir vaikinų atletinio tapatumo, socialinių įgūdžių ir su sveikata susijusio fizinio pajėgumo sąsajos

ENResearch aim was to identify links among athletic identity, social skills and health-related physical fitness of 7–8th grades’ students (girls and boys). Research object: athletic identity, social skills and physical fitness of 7–8th grades’ students (girls and boys). 158 female students and 121 male students participated in the survey, accomplished in 2017, it was carried out in four secondary schools in Kaunas. “Eurofit” tests: “Sit and reach”, a “Standing broad jump”, “Sit up”, “20 meter shuttle run" were used to identify health-related physical fitness of schoolchildren. Athletic Identity Questionnaire for Adolescents (Anderson et al., 2007) was used and it was based on C. B. Anderson (2004) athletic identity model. Aiming to assess social skills, adapted Riggio & Friedman (1982) basic social skills questionnaire (Šniras and Malinauskas, 2006) was used. Results: 7–8th grades girls’ athletic identity is 3.4±0.6, boys’ results seems to be a little bit higher (3.5±0.6). Both genders adolescents’ highest averages of score identity were reached in sport competence (girls 3.8 ± 0.7; boys 4.0±0.7) lowest – at teachers encouragement to be physically active (girls 3.2±1.2; boys 3.1±1.2). Girls essential social skills (ESS) highest averages were reached in social sensitiveness (3,7) as well in social control (3.7) fields; lowest average – in emotional expressiveness (2.8 out of 5). Boys highest averages were reached in social control field (3.8) and the lowest – in emotional expressiveness (2.4). Test “Sit and reach” average is 22.6 and 21.3 cm in girls and boys, respectively. “Standing broad jump” test result of girls is 160,4 cm, boys – 176.4 cm. “Sit up” average of schoolgirls is 23,6 N/30s, schoolboys – 25.6 N/30s. “20 meter shuttle run’’ average of girls is 1.9 min., boys – 3.1 min.The strongest relation is established in both genders between athletic identity and social control (schoolgirls r=0.46; p<0.05; schoolboys r=0.34; p<0.05) the weakest relation in girls is between athletic identity and emotional expression (r=0.29; p<0.05), talking about boys – athletic identity and emotional control (r=0.13; p<0.05). Identified relation between athletic identity and all physical fitness tests results of schoolgirls. Total score of ESS have the strongest correlation with test “Sit and reach” (r=0.34; p<0.05), the lowest relation with “Standing broad jump” test (r=0.25; p<0.05). Athletic identity of boys has correlation with Eurofit tests “Sit and reach” and “Sit up”. Unlike girls, ESS score of boys have correlation only with “20 meter shuttle run’’. Conclusions: athletic identity of 7–8th grade girls and boys is higher than average (in 5 grade scale). Girls have good social skills in social control and social sensitivity areas, boys – just in social control. Flexibility, explosive power and trunk muscle strength of teenagers is little lower than average, comparing it to Lithuania 13–14 years pupil’s physical fitness referential scales, and cardiovascular capacity is relatively low. Girls’ athletic identity positively correlates with all Eurofit tests. Common score of ESS correlates with same tests, except 20 meter shuttle run. Boys’ athletic identity correlates with flexibility and muscular endurance. ESS of teenagers boys are statistically significantly related to aerobic endurance. The better expression of social skills and athletic identity, the better is physical fitness.