The investigation of the basic psychological needs of athletes in the Turkish National Amputee Football Team: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to examine the experiences of athletes in the Turkish Amputee National Football Team regarding the dimensions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which are their basic psychological needs.

METHOD: The research was designed within the framework of a qualitative research approach, and the participant group consists of nine athletes who are actively involved in the Turkish Amputee National Football Team. The participants consist of individuals with different levels of amputation. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations conducted during training and competition processes. The interviews were conducted face-to-face, audio-recorded, and later transcribed into written texts. The obtained data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. As a result of the analysis, five themes emerged: (1) autonomy and freedom of decision-making, (2) perception of competence and sense of achievement, (3) social bonds and belonging, (4) coping with disability and psychological resilience, and (5) performance pressure and internal-external tension.

RESULTS

The findings show that athletes' motivation and self-confidence increase when their autonomy is supported; however, external pressures can limit this process. It was determined that the perception of competence is strengthened through performance opportunities and experiences of success, while social bonds are shaped through belonging, trust, and feeling valued. However, it was also observed that belonging is not always inclusive and is constructed through selective relationships. In addition, the findings reveal that psychological resilience is not only an individual trait but is shaped by social relationships and the sporting context. It was determined that athletes continuously try to maintain a balance between performance expectations and their intrinsic motivation, and that this situation sometimes creates tension.

DISCUSSION: The findings further demonstrate that amputee football simultaneously functions as a context of empowerment and psychological pressure, where athletes negotiate autonomy, competence, and belonging under conditions shaped by performance expectations and social evaluation. As a result, the study reveals that amputee football is both an empowering and limiting field of experience for athletes, and that sports environments should be restructured in a way that supports psychological needs.