The Importance of Sports Activities in Improving Social Relationships between Students at the Faculty of Physical Education in Yarmouk University

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the importance of sports activities in improving social relationships between students at the Faculty of Physical Education in Yarmouk University. The descriptive analytical approaches using surveys were used by developing Shamroukh & Khasawneh’s )2011( questionnaire which had been prepared to measure the benefits of sports and social activities. The questionnaire consisted of 31 items distributed on five areas: The social personal dimension, the socio-cultural dimension, the sense of belonging to the university, the social ties, and the social interaction. The questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 210 students who were randomly selected from the study population, and results of the study showed the following: - Sports activities have an important and effective role in promoting and improving the level of social relationships between students, and thus in enhancing the social interaction which contributes to the their unity and interdependence and their adaptation to the university environment, where isolation often leads to mental illness. - Sports activities contribute to the exchange of cultures and experiences between the students and to the acquisition of normal social values, leadership training and the continuous evaluation of self and others. - Although there are gender differences in the importance of sports activities, sport activities have strengthened interaction among students of different gender and educational levels with one other and with the university environment. As recommendation, the study stressed on the importance of developing and strengthening the social relations among students by supporting the collective sports and recreation work such as trips and art festivals.