POVERTY'S IMPACT ON YOUTH SPORTS PARTICIPATION IN BALOCHISTAN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GENDER AND LOCALITY

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of poverty on teenage sports participation among college& school students in Balochistan, Pakistan, with a focus on gender differences and locality perceptions. A total of 822 students (511 males and 311females) were surveyed using a structured questionnaire that included Likert scale items to assess their perceptions. The findings reveal that poverty significantly influences sports participation, as indicated by the responses of male students, where 76.95% agreed that poverty causes less participation in sports activities. Although the data suggests a consensus on the negative effects of poverty, statistical analysis (t-tests) indicates no significant differences in perceptions based on gender (t(822) = -0.533, p > 0.05) or locality (t(822) = -0.422, p > 0.05). This highlights a shared understanding among male and female students, as well as rural and urban participants, regarding the challenges posed by poverty. The results emphasize the need for targeted interventions to enhance youth sports participation in Baluchistan, advocating for improved access to sports facilities and financial support for underprivileged youth.