Volume : 11, Issue : 6, JUN 2025

COMPARISON OF SELECTED PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES AMONG PLAIN AND HILLY REGIONS OF WEST BENGAL

MD SAMIM SK, DR. B. JOHN, DR. SUBHABRATA KAR

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate and compare two critical psychological variables—anxiety and motivation—among adolescent male football players from the plains and hilly regions of West Bengal. A total of 200 football players, aged between 18 and 22 years, were selected using purposive sampling. The sample was equally divided, with 100 players each from the plains and hilly regions. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Sports Motivation Scale (SMS) were used to measure the selected variables. Data analysis revealed that players from the hilly regions reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and higher levels of motivation than their counterparts from the plains. The results underscore the influence of environmental and sociocultural factors on athletes' psychological traits. Histograms were used to visually compare group distributions, and independent sample t-tests confirmed statistically significant differences between the groups. These findings highlight the importance of region-specific psychological training programs and the need for coaches and sports psychologists to develop targeted mental conditioning strategies. The study recommends further research across other geographical and demographic variables to better understand the influences on psychological performance.

Article : Download PDF

Cite This Article

-

Article No : 14

Number of Downloads : 253

References

1. Bhatnagar, R., Sinha, A., & Roy, D. (2022). Psychological preparedness and mental skill development among youth athletes. Indian Journal of Sports Sciences, 15(2), 65–72.

2. Dey, T., & Chatterjee, S. (2021). Urban sports culture and extrinsic motivation: A comparative study among adolescent footballers. International Journal of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, 9(1), 22–30.

3. Ghosh, A., & Bose, M. (2020). Revalidating the Sports Motivation Scale in Indian youth sports: An empirical study. Asian Journal of Sports Psychology, 7(1), 45–53.

4. Khan, A., & Jha, P. (2023). Regional disparities and motivational orientation among adolescent athletes in India. Journal of Physical Activity and Wellbeing, 11(1), 30–42.

5. Mukherjee, R., & Pal, K. (2022). Community and school-based sport programs and their psychological impact in hilly regions. Indian Journal of Psychology in Sports, 10(2), 40–49.

6. Rai, S., & Kundu, B. (2023). Motivation patterns across geography: A comparative analysis of rural and urban adolescent athletes. South Asian Journal of Sport and Health, 8(3), 19–28.

7. Rana, D., & Paul, S. (2021). Coaching and anxiety in adolescents. South Asian Journal of Sport Psychology, 9(3), 12–25.

8. Roy, S., & Das, T. (2022). Anxiety levels in youth athletes from varied topographies: A study on hilly vs plain regions. International Review of Applied Psychology, 14(2), 55–62.

9. Sen, R. (2022). Coaching styles and psychological stress: An exploration in hilly district sports academies. Journal of Coaching and Sport Psychology, 6(1), 10–18.

10. Sharma, V., & Varma, P. (2021). Understanding anxiety and stress triggers in adolescent competitive sports. Journal of Youth Mental Health and Athletics, 5(4), 33–41.

11. Singh, A., & Saini, M. (2020). Regional disparities in psychological well-being. Journal of Sports Sciences in India, 8(2), 30–40.

12. Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology (7th Ed.). Human Kinetics.