Differences in Self-Awareness According to Academic Achievement Among First-Division Football Players in the Western Region of Iraq
Abstract
The present study aimed to identify differences in self-awareness among football players according to the variable of academic achievement in first-division clubs of the Western Region. The researcher employed the descriptive method using correlational relationships, appropriate to the nature of the problem. The research population comprised 90 players distributed across four clubs for the 2021-2022 season, selected purposively from three Iraqi governorates: Diyala, Anbar, and Salah ad-Din. The primary sample consisted of 60 players after excluding Al-Ilm Sports Club following its withdrawal from the league, the pilot study sample (n = 6), and the psychometric calibration sample (n = 6). The Self-Awareness Scale developed by Daoud and Al-Wattar (2020), comprising 32 items distributed across three domains (Emotional Awareness, Self-Confidence, and Accurate Self-Evaluation), was used as the primary instrument. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in self-awareness according to academic achievement (F = 26.776; sig = 0.000). Post-hoc LSD comparisons confirmed that players with higher academic levels significantly outperformed those with lower levels across all paired comparisons. The study concludes that academic achievement serves as a meaningful predictor of self-awareness in football players and recommends integrating academic and psychological development components within training programmes.
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