ارائه الگوی نقش نظریه تبادل اجتماعی هومنز بر خرسندی از نیازهای بنیادی روانشناختی در سالمندان ورزشکار شهر مشهد

Introduction

Given that the presence of senior citizens in sports environments can significantly contribute to improving their physical and mental health, and their extensive participation can improve the condition of various diseases and physical disabilities, it is necessary to examine indicators that can play a significant role in the field of social exchanges and their support. On the other hand, due to the disabilities that most of the elderly have, special attention should be paid to the issue of their satisfaction, especially in fundamental dimensions, because this issue has a direct relationship with the level of optimal performance in their personal lives, and in the absence of the necessary satisfaction, various dimensions of their lives may be overshadowed. Finally, considering the above-mentioned materials and the necessity of paying attention to the issue of satisfaction with basic needs and on the other hand, the issue of social exchange among the elderly, and since the aforementioned variables are effective factors in the performance of the elderly in their personal lives, as well as the lack of research in this field, the present study seeks to present a model of the role of Homans' social exchange theory on satisfaction with basic psychological needs in elderly athletes in Mashhad in order to achieve the desired goals. By achieving the desired goals, it is possible to provide useful information to officials and managers active in the field of public sports, especially the elderly population, by presenting suggested solutions so that they can use them to increase the level of participation of the elderly population to achieve the highest possible satisfaction.

Methods

The research method is descriptive and survey type. The statistical population of this study was organized elderly athletes in Mashhad city, which was formed according to the announcement of the Department of Public Physical Education of the Cultural and Social Organization of Mashhad Municipality (N=1000) in 1404. Using G-Power software, the sample size was estimated to be 290 people, who were selected through convenience sampling from among the members of the statistical population. In order to collect data, social exchange and satisfaction with basic needs questionnaires were used. The face and content validity of the questionnaires was determined by using the corrective comments of sports management professors. To analyze the data, descriptive indices and statistical tests of Kolmogorov Smirnov, Pearson correlation coefficient, regression analysis and path analysis with the least squares method were used in SPSS and PLS statistical software.

Results

The results of the path analysis showed that social exchange in sports has a positive and significant effect on satisfaction with basic needs (β = 0.382, T-Value = 17.561). Also, the components of organizational support and social support were qualified to predict satisfaction with the basic needs of elderly athletes.

Conclusion

Finally, given that Iran is facing the issue of population aging and the increase in the elderly, more attention should be paid to the satisfaction of the elderly with their needs than in the past so that they can actively and seriously participate in sports with the will they expend and can conquer the steps of success and achieve desired physical and mental goals. On the other hand, special importance should be given to the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs of elderly athletes; because this group of people in society, given the limitations that exist among them in terms of meeting their needs in physical and mental dimensions, and since exercise is very beneficial for the health of such people, officials and coaches who work in this field should pay special attention to such people through social exchanges and support them directly and indirectly to meet as many of their needs as possible in order to increase the participation of these people in the sports and health environment. At the institutional level, it is recommended that an interdisciplinary approach be adopted in the design of health and social cohesion policies, with the participation of sociologists, anthropologists and social development activists. Strengthening accessible sports facilities for senior citizens, integrating cultural dimensions into nutritional awareness programs and promoting intergenerational social spaces were identified as essential levers to combat isolation and encourage active aging.

Footnotes

Ethical approval: The authors confirm that all steps and requirements of this research comply with ethical guidelines.

Funding: This research does not receive any financial support.

Authors’ contribution: All authors contributed equally to the research.

Conflict of interest: This research has no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments: We would like to thank the Department of Public Physical Education of the Social and Cultural Organization of Mashhad Municipality, the Public Sports Board, and all the elderly who participated in this research.