Examination of Sports Sciences Faculty Student’s Competence in Sports Levels and Self-Efficacy in Sports According to Various Variables

Current study aimed to examine Erzurum Technical University Faculty of Sport Sciences students’ sports competence levels and self-efficacy levels according to various variables. A total of 116 students, fifty four female, and sixty two male, participated in the study, in which the quantitative research model was used. In the first part, the Personal Information Form was used to determine the demographic characteristics of the participants, the second part used the Self-Efficacy Attitude Scale, and the third part used the Competence in Sports Scale. Frequency analysis, kurtosis, skew - ness test, One-Way ANOVA analysis, t-test, and correlation analysis were used in the research. A positive and moderately significant relationship was found between the Self-Efficacy Attitude Scale and the Competence in Sports Scale. According to gender, it was determined that male students’ competence in sports was significantly higher than female students’ sports competence. According to the branch variable, it was determined that the self-efficacy status of the students who do individ - ual sports is significantly higher than the self-efficacy status of the students who do team sports and who do not have a branch. In addition, according to the age variable, no significant relationship was found between the competence status of the students in sports and their self-efficacy attitudes. As a result, it can be said that male students have higher proficiency in sports than female students, and they feel more competent. It has been determined that the self-efficacy attitudes of the students who do individual sports are higher than those who do team sports.


Introduction
Today, sport is considered a natural phenomenon that increases the quality of life of most people and should be included in daily social activities (Öztürk & Kuter, 1999). A behavior that meets the individual's biological, social, or economic needs (Uzamaz, 2000) is competitive and entertaining activities that require a certain amount of physical strength and skill (Hazar, 1996).The reasons that push many people to do sports are not limited to movement and body area. The need to establish a relationship and be a social being, and the fear of being alone, are as compelling as the desire to be sportive or healthy (Baumann, 1994).
It is thought that the individual's general self-efficacy belief is one of the psychological factors that can be effective in success in sports. The concept of efficacy belief can be practical in which activities people will choose, how much effort they will spend to perform these activities, and how persistent they can be when they encounter an obstacle (Bandura, 1995).
Although the concept of competence belief is generally used as a field-specific competence, it is seen that some researchers have put forward the concept of general competence belief (Choi, 2004;Schwarzer, 1994). Competence is the ability to meet complex demands by using psychosocial resources such as skills, attitudes, personality, creativity, cognitive skills, and motivation for a specific task (Rychen & Salganik, 2003).Competence is also conceptualized as an essential feature that enables superior and average performances of a job to emerge (Boyatzis, 1991).
Technical skill refers to the athlete's ability to perform a task to achieve success (e.g., holding a handstand, shooting, skating).Tactical skills are the actions and strategies that athletes use to gain superiority over their opponents during the competition. On the other hand, physical skills are the functional qualities related to the physical fitness required by the athletes to perform their sports skills and fulfill the sport's requirements speed, quickness, and endurance; (Lacy & Williams, 2018;Martens, 2004).
The level of self-efficacy is an important factor that determines how individuals behave in events, situations, and difficult processes (Yaman, Koray & Altunçekiç, 2004).
A high self-efficacy belief may affect individuals' higher cognitive processes and motivation by causing them to set higher goals for themselves and to be consistent in their decisions (Locke & Latham, 1990).Self-efficacy belief helps people determine how much effort they will spend, how long they can endure in the face of difficulties, and how they can recover when faced with difficult situations Bandura, 1977). Students with high self-efficacy beliefs approach learning activities more willingly, make great efforts, use more effective strategies by striving for a long time in difficulties and show higher performance than students with low selfefficacy levels (Kauchak, 1998).
It is thought that high levels of sportive competence and self-efficacy in sports environments can be used as a valuable tool for achieving success (Bandura, 1977;Kauchak, 1998;Locke & Latham, 1990;Pajares, 2002;Yaman, Koray & Altunçekiç, 2004). When the literature is examined, it will be noticed that the studies on the level of competence in sports are pretty limited, and there are many studies on the level of self-efficacy. Still, the studies on the relationship between the level of competence in sports and self-efficacy are rare. It is thought that there is a need for research to understand the relationship between the level of competence in sports and self-efficacy. This study aims to examine the sports proficiency levels and self-efficacy levels of the students studying in the faculties of sports sciences according to various variables and determine what is needed for future studies in sports competence and self-efficacy. It is thought that this study will contribute to eliminating this deficiency in the literature. In this context, answers to the following sub-problems were sought from literature reviews;

Problem
Is there a difference between the competence levels of university students in sports and their selfefficacy according to various variables?

Sub Problems
Is there a significant difference between the competence levels in sports and the students' selfefficacy according to their gender, age, coaching certificate, class, and sports branch?

Material and Method Research Model
The relational screening method, which is a quantitative model, was used in the research. A quantitative model is a research approach that reveals a situation, object, or case encountered in the past or current time according to specific criteria (Karasar, 2009). The relational screening method is the method in which the change of two or more variables at the same time is determined (Büyüköztürk, 2018).

Universe and Sample
The research universe consists of 160 students studying at Erzurum Technical University Faculty of Sport Sciences in the 2021-2022 academic year. Its sample consists of 116 students, sixty two male and fifty four female, randomly selected from Erzurum Technical University's Faculty of Sport Sciences.

Data Collection Tools
After meeting with the authorized persons in the faculty where the scales will be applied and after obtaining the necessary permissions, the researcher explained the questionnaire to the students and helped the participants answer the questionnaire questions healthily. The survey questions used to consist of three parts.

Personal Information
To collect information about the demographic status of the participants, The questions prepared by the researcher were asked for variables such as age, gender, and grade level.

Self-Efficacy Scale
The scale developed by Sherer et al. (1982) to measure participants' self-efficacy attitudes consists of 17 items and a 5-point Likert scale. It was adapted into Turkish by İlhan (2010).The score of each question on the scale varies between 1-5. Items 2,4,5,6,7,10,11,12,14,16, and 17 on the scale are reverse scored. The scale's total score can vary between 17 and 85, and the increase in the score indicates an increase in self-efficacy belief. The Cronbach Alpha Value (α) of the scale translated into Turkish was found to be α = 0.80.Our study's total Cronbach Alpha value was (α)=.90.

Competence Scale in Sports
The scale, developed by Brislin et al. (1980) to measure the participants' competence in sports, consists of 3 items and a 5-point Likert format. It was adapted into Turkish by Kılıç and İnce (2017). The Cronbach Alpha Value (α) of the scale translated into Turkish was found to be α = 0.86.Our study's total Cronbach alpha value was (α)=.82.

Limitations of the Research
This research; is limited to Erzurum Technical University Faculty of Sport Sciences students, and its application is limited to Sport Competence and Self-Efficacy scales.

Analysis of Data
The data collected from the people participating in the research were processed into electronic media with the "SPSS v22.0" program, and various statistical analyzes were made. A normality test was performed to determine the normality of the collected data, and it was determined that the data were normally distributed. Parametric tests were used in the study. To determine the demographic status of the participants, a t-test was applied in independent groups to compare the competence and self-efficacy attitudes in sports according to the variables of frequency analysis, gender, and do you have a coaching certificate; one-way analysis of variance in comparison with variables of age, class, sports branch; Tukey test was applied to find out which groups caused the difference and the level of significance (p<0.05) was taken. When the data is examined; When the gender variable range of the individuals participating in the study is examined, the male participants are 62 (53.4%), while the female participants are 54 (46.6%); when the age variable is considered, the highest participation is 61 (52.6%) people between the ages of 21-23, and the lowest participation is between the ages of 24-26 and 11 (9.5%) people when the variable of the participants have a coaching certificate, it is seen that 10 of the participants (8.6%) have a certificate and 106 people (91.4%) do not have a certificate. When looking at the variable of the class of the participants, the highest participation was 42 (36.2%) in the 2nd class, while the lowest participation was 13 people in the 4th class (11.2%). When the sports branch variable of the participants is examined, the highest participation is 45 (38.8%) people who do team sports. The lowest participation is 29 (25.0%) people who say they do not have a branch. When Table 2 is examined, according to the normality distribution of the total scores of selfefficacy and competence in sports, Tabaschnick and Fidell (2013) state that if the skewness and kurtosis coefficients in the scales are between-1.5 and +1.5, the data will display normal distribution. In this context, it was determined that the data's values of kurtosis and skewness showed a normal distribution. When Table 3 compares the participants' total points of self-efficacy and competence in sports regarding their gender, no statistically significant difference was found in the total self-efficacy score.

Table 3 Comparison of Participants' Self-Efficacy Perceptions and their Total Scores of Competence in Sports by Gender Variable (Independent-Sample T-Test)
A statistically significant difference was found in the total competence score in sports. It is seen that male participants have a significantly higher mean than female participants. When Table 4 compares the participants' selfefficacy and total competence in sports points regarding the variable do you have a coaching certificate; No statistically significant difference was found between the total self-efficacy score and the total sports competence score.
When Table 5 is examined, comparing the participants' self-efficacy and total competence in sports points regarding the age variables, No statistically significant difference was found between the total self-efficacy score and the total sports competence score. When Table 6 is examined, comparing the participants' self-efficacy regarding the class variables and the total competence in sports, No statistically significant difference was found between the total self-efficacy score and the total sports competence score.

Scale Sub-Dimension
Branş N X ss f p Sig.Diff.  Table 7 is examined, in the comparison of the participants' self-efficacy regarding the branch variables and their total competence in sports; while no statistically significant difference was found in the total score of competence in sports,a statistically significant difference was found in the total self-efficacy score,it is seen that people who do team sports and individual sports have a significantly higher average than the participants who do not have a branch. A moderate and positive significant relationship was found between self-efficacy and total sports competence score (r =,467**) when the data were examined.

Discussion and Conclusion
This section discusses the research findings within the literature framework, the results are presented, and recommendations are made.
According to the gender of the participants, there was no significant difference in terms of their selfefficacy; In terms of competence in sports, male participants were found to have higher competence in sports than female participants (Table 3). It can be said that this situation stems from the fact that the students constituting the research sample are university students and have completed the maturation process of the adolescence period. It has been stated that maturation has negative psychosocial and socio-cultural effects on girls' perceptions of self-efficacy and competence during adolescence (Wigfield, Byrnes & Eccles, 2006).
Studies in the literature argue that the gender variable does not affect self-efficacy. (Doğaner, Görmüş & Kılıç, 2020) stated that they did not find a statistically significant difference in the general self-efficacy of the athletes according to the gender variable in their research in which they examined the relationships between the athlete identity and general self-efficacy perceptions the athletes belonging to various clubs. Yıldız (2017) reported no significant difference in the self-efficacy perceptions of the athletes who continue active sports. Yılmaz et al. (2020) stated that classroom teachers and physical education teachers did not find any difference in selfefficacy perceptions according to their gender. In different contexts such as physical education teacher candidates,physical education teachers, taekwondo athletes, students participating in school sports, students who received professional music education did not observe a difference in the level of selfefficacy in terms of gender variable have also been reported (Akçay et al., 2021;Bozkurt, 2013;Cengiz et al., 2012;Saracaloğlu et al., 2012;Varol, 2007). It can be said that these findings are in parallel with our research findings.
Unlike our research findings, there are also studies reporting that men have higher self-efficacy perceptions. (Aypay, 2010) in his research on university students, stated that the general selfefficacy of the students differed significantly according to the gender variable; the general selfefficacy scores of the males were higher than the female students. (Kafkas et al., 2010Mirzeoğlu et al., 2007 found that physical education teacher candidates' perceptions of their self-efficacy differed significantly in favor of male teacher candidates according to the gender variable. On the other hand, studies in the literature state that females' self-efficacy is higher than males' (Aktağ & Walter, 2005;Çelik, 2019;Türk 2009) stated that they reached results in favor of females in their research on teacher candidates. In the literature, it is seen that different results are obtained in self-efficacy perceptions according to the gender variable. It can be said that sample differences may cause this situation. In our research, it can be said that the gender of the students does not affect their self-efficacy.
When the literature was examined in terms of the sports competencies of the students participating in the study, which differed in favor of men, Wigfield et al, (2006) found that boys have higher efficacy beliefs in sports than girls. Kılıç and Ince (20021) in their study on young athletes between the ages of 12-18, found that the proficiency scores of boys were higher than girls. In addition, barriers to girls' participation in sports include gender discrimination, false religious interpretations, and gender role stereotypes taught by families and society (Kafkas et al., 2010).For the reasons stated, it can be said that male students are at a higher level than female students in terms of sports competencies.
No significant difference was found in the perceptions of self-efficacy and competence in sports, according to the variables of age and class, whether the participants have a coaching certificate or not (Table 4, Table 5, and Table 6).It can be said that this situation arises from the fact that the students receiving sports science education have passed the same skill tests and that their self-confidence and competence in sports have developed at a similar level due to the common lessons they have taken. However, the average scores of those who have a coaching certificate were slightly higher than those who do not have a coaching certificate, although it is not statistically significant. It can be said that the students who have received coaching training have an advantage in applying training techniques and tactics and, accordingly, increasing their physical strength.
Yıldız (2017) stated that in his research on active athletes, no significant difference was found in the self-efficacy perceptions of the athletes according to the age variable. (Sabah), in his research on the team and individual athletes who are both amateur and professional in sports, could not find a significant relationship between the athlete's age and the athlete's self-efficacy. However, a positive, weak, and significant relationship was found between the duration of interest in sports and the self-efficacy of the athletes, and an increase in the self-efficacy levels of the athletes was observed as the duration of interest in sports increased. (Yıldırım & İlhan, 2010) also concluded that age does not significantly affect general self-efficacy. It can be said that these results are in parallel with our research findings.
Unlike the research findings, some studies argue that self-efficacy increases in parallel with the advancement of age. (Aypay, 2010); Scholz et al. (2002) found that age significantly affected general self-efficacy. (Doğaner, Görmüş and Kılıç) found that the general self-efficacy perception scores of the 18-year-old and older age group in terms of general self-efficacy perceptions of the athletes were higher than those of the 12-17 age group. Aypay (2010) states that the general self-efficacy of university students differs significantly according to the age variable, and students between the ages of 21-30 have higher general self-efficacy scores than students between the ages of 17-20. Sabah (2022) states in her study that no significant difference could be found between the athletes' self-efficacy scale total scores and subdimension total scores according to the classes they studied. Uysal and Köseman (2013) stated that the general self-efficacy beliefs of teacher candidates did not differ significantly according to the grade, but in terms of the mean score, the teacher candidates in the IV. states that they have a higher rank average than the teacher candidates in the class. It can be said that these results are in parallel with our research findings.
Unlike our research findings, Bozkurt (2013) stated that the first-year university students and Varol (2007) found that the second-year students had higher teaching self-efficacy. Kılıç and Ince (2021) in their study on young athletes aged 12-18, found that the older group (between 15-18 years) had lower proficiency scores.
In the comparison of the participants' total points of self-efficacy and competence in sports regarding the branch variables; While no statistically significant difference was found in the total score of competence in sports, a statistically significant difference was found in self-efficacy, and it was found that individuals who do team sports and individual sports have a significantly higher average than the participants who do not have a branch. In addition, although it is not statistically significant, it has been observed that the competence scores of individual athletes in sports are slightly higher than those engaged in team sports. (Table 7). Sabah (2022) reported no significant difference between the athlete's self-efficacy scale and the sub-dimension total scores of athletes interested in individual and team sports. Doğaner et al. (2020) stated that they did not detect a significant difference between the general self-efficacy perceptions of the athletes who do individual sports. Kafkas et al. (2010) found that licensed physical education teacher candidates who do sports have higher selfefficacy. They argued that active participation in sports during or before school life would positively affect their self-efficacy in their professional life.It can be said that these findings are in parallel with our research findings. Unlike our finding that the branch variable has no effect in terms of competence in sports, Kılıç and Ince (2021) in their research on young athletes between the ages of 12-18, found that team athletes had lower competence scores.
One of the research findings is a moderate (r = .467**) positive relationship between self-efficacy and competence in sports (Table 8). It can be said that self-efficacy is related to competence in sports, and the two variables affect each other positively. Ninot et al. (2000) allocated one of the subdimensions of the sportive self-scale, which they adapted from Fox and Corbin (1989) to measures portive competence. Self-perception is related to how the individual evaluates herself in motor skills (coordination, sports ability, etc.) and physical fitness parameters (strength, endurance, flexibility, etc.) (Aşçı, 2004). Çağlar et al., (2017), in their study titled "Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the physical self scale in university students," reported that they found a positive correlation of 0.28 between sportive competence and general self-concept. It can be said that the said determination confirms the relationship between competence in sports and self-efficacy, which is our research finding.
As a result, this research was carried out to examine the self-efficacy and sports competence levels of Erzurum Technical University Faculty of Sport Sciences students according to various variables. As a result of the research, gender, having a coaching certificate, age, and class variables did not have an effect on students' self-efficacy, but the branch variable was effective; those who are engaged in team or individual sports have higher self-efficacy than those who do not have a sports branch,in terms of sports competencies, it was concluded that having a coaching certificate, age, class, and variables did not have an effect, while the gender variable had a more positive impact on men's competencies in sports than women, and students' self-efficacy and competence in sports were positively and moderately related. It can be suggested that to increase the success level of sports science students in their professional lives, their self-efficacy and competence levels in sports should be improved.