Examining Effects of Physical Education and Fine Arts Education on Mental Skills

The aim of this study was to investigate effects of physical education and fine arts education on mental skills for University students. The study included 344 university students fulfilling The Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool completely. Obtained data were statistically analyzed with t test. While there was no significant difference in self-confidence and activation between genders (p>0.05); goal setting, commitment, stress reactions, fear control, relaxation, focusing, refocusing, imagery, mental practice and competition planning significantly differed between genders (p<0.05 and p<0.001). Students studying physical education were not significantly different from those studying fine arts in terms of goal setting, self-confidence, commitment, stress reactions, fear control, relaxation, activation, focusing, refocusing, imagery and mental practice (p>0.05). The students with five-year or longer history of doing sports got significantly higher scores for goal setting, self-confidence, commitment, activation, focusing, refocusing, imagery, mental practice and planning competition than those with one-four-year history of doing sports (p<0.05 and p<0.001). In conclusion, physical education and fine arts education had similar effects on mental skills. However, gender and history of doing sports had different effects on mental skills. Physical education and fine arts education had positive effects on mental skills, especially self-confidence. It can be recommended that students studying physical education should be offered information about arts and that students studying fine arts should be given information about sports. In addition, people receiving informal education about sports should be supported in terms of stress and relaxation.