2025, Vol. 12, Issue 6, Part A

Background: Psychological well-being, encompassing emotional, mental, and social balance, plays a critical role in adolescents’ overall functioning and satisfaction with life. Sports high school students face unique challenges, balancing academic demands with competitive performance expectations, which may affect their perceived stress and life satisfaction.
Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationship between life satisfaction and perceived stress among sports high school students and to explore variations according to gender, grade level, and sports license status.
Methodology: A correlational survey design was employed with a sample of 310 students (150 females, 160 males) from Şanlıurfa Sports High School. Data were collected using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA were conducted to assess differences across demographic variables.
Results: Findings indicated that male students reported significantly higher life satisfaction than females (p<0.05), while no significant gender differences were found in perceived stress or coping. Life satisfaction and stress levels varied significantly by grade (p<0.001), with 11^th graders showing higher satisfaction and 9th graders exhibiting higher stress. No significant differences were observed based on sports license status, although licensed students tended to have higher life satisfaction and lower stress scores.
Conclusions: Overall, sports high school students displayed moderate psychological well-being. Grade level and gender were significant factors influencing life satisfaction, while stress and coping levels remained relatively stable across groups. Interventions promoting stress management, resilience, and emotional support especially for 9^th and 12^th grade students are recommended to enhance mental well-being and academic performance in sports-focused educational settings.