Student Perceptions of Motor, Mental and Social Benefits and the Impact of Practicing Recreational Figure Skating

Abstract

The study aims to highlight the impact of practicing recreational figure skating by evaluating the relationship between the perceptions of motor, mental and social benefits of practicing figure skating and the frequency and duration allocated for this recreational activity. The study included 143 students of physical education and sport specialization. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate the students’ perception about the benefits of practicing recreational figure skating; it included 30 items divided in three parts: motor, mental and social benefits. Each of them contained 10 items to be assessed by students using the Likert scale, with 2 items related to the duration and frequency of practicing figure skating during recreational time. The results were processed using SPPS 24. The results were statistically significant at p < 0.05. The Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of the questionnaire was α = 0.965, suggesting that the items had high internal consistency. Using the Likert scale, we found the following: concerning the high score 5 points—the motor capacity 62.9%, the mental capacity 49.7%, the social capacity 49.7%; and for a low score of 1 point—mental and social capacity 1.4%, motor capacity 0.7%. The effect size was medium for almost all items. No statistically significant correlations were found between the result of the questionnaire and the frequency and duration of practicing figure skating during free time. Figure skating is considered by students to be one of the activities through which a series of parameters of physical development and level of physical fitness can be improved through the expansion of motor skills. Also, the practice of figure skating contributes to the formation of proactive behaviors by improving the mental and social abilities of practitioners.