Comparison of self-esteem in visually impaired adults who participate in sport and those who do not: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: Self-esteem is an important psychological concept for mental health. The aim of our study was to compare the levels of self-esteem between visually impaired adults who participate in sports and those who do not. Method: A total of 85 visually impaired adults were included in the study, including 42 who participate in sports and 43 who do not. A personal information form and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were used for data collection. Results: The mean age of the visually impaired adults who participate in sports was 20.86±3.0 years, while it was 20.88±2.92 years for those who do not participate in sports. Among the visually impaired adults who participate in sports, 22 were female and 20 were male, while among those who do not participate in sports, 26 were female and 17 were male. The analysis revealed that the self-esteem of visually impaired adults who participate in sports was statistically significantly higher than that of those who do not participate in sports (p=0.001). It was also observed that the self-esteem of both female and male visually impaired adults who participate in sports was statistically significantly higher than their counterparts who do not participate in sports (female p=0.001, male p=0.020). Conclusion: It was concluded that participation in sports increases self-esteem in visually impaired adults regardless of gender. In this context, it should be emphasized that participation in sports should be expanded among visually impaired individuals.