Psychological factors of competitiveness of the women’s youth handball team

Abstract

The aim of the article is an empirical study of the influence of dispositional optimism on the psychological meaning parameters of the athletes’competitiveness of women’s youth handball teams. Study participants: women’s youth handball teams (n = 61). The handball players are representatives of five national teams from different regions of Ukraine.They are regular participants in the competitions of the Championship of Ukraine (Junior League). Methods. Standardized and adapted psychodiagnostic methods, correlation analysis, comparative analysis using φ – Fisher’s angular transformation criterion are applied. Results. The components of competitiveness of young female handball players are determined and grounded: motivational, regulatory, personal. It is established that the average viability indicators in the group of women’s handball players exceed the average normative values, which points out at the ability to overcome difficult, stressful situations in training and competitive sports activities. Higher indicators of the studied sample were stated in comparison with the normative values on the scales “Openness to experience”, “Conscientiousness” and “Extraversion”. It was found that dispositional optimism at a statistically significant level (p < .05) correlates with the indicators “Motivation to succeed”, “Hardiness” and its components (commitment, control, challenge). The correlation at the statistically significant level (p < .05) of dispositional optimism with personal factors, namely, with openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism was stated. A comparative analysis of two groups of female handball players by the level of dispositional optimism was performed. It is established and substantiated that dispositional optimism has an impact on the motivation to succeed, hardiness, openness to experience, conscientiousness. The diagram is constructed and the differences in the key parameters of dispositional optimism are clearly shown. The obtained results should be implemented in the practice of psychological work on pre-competitive training of young athletes in team sports in order to increase the level of competitiveness.