Sports Psychology, Obstacles and Challenges of Institutionalizing Sports in Society

Sports psychology is a branch of psychology that studies and examines the psychological factors affecting athletes' performance and the development of sports culture in society. Despite the importance of sports, its institutionalization in society's culture faces numerous challenges. Various strategies play a role in overcoming the challenges of sports development, including ۱- Educational and cultural interventions: Education and awareness-raising in schools, universities, and social environments can lead to culture building among different groups. Media and social networks are vital in promoting sports culture and disseminating concepts related to sports and its benefits. ۲- Developing and improving sports infrastructure and spaces: Building and optimizing public sports venues and increasing public access to sports facilities, providing standard sports equipment for clubs, and creating free or low-cost sports spaces for the public can increase enthusiasm for sports. ۳- Financial incentives and government support: Providing discounts and financial facilities for membership in sports clubs, supporting professional and amateur athletes through financial grants, and developing incentive policies for sports sponsoring companies can be effective in promoting participation in society. ۴- Psychological and motivational interventions: Providing psychological counseling to increase athletes' motivation, promoting successful role models in sports to inspire society, and holding sports psychology workshops for coaches and athletes are among the psychological solutions. ۵- Policymaking and supportive laws: Developing incentive policies to expand public sports, setting national programs to increase sports participation of different groups, and supporting women and vulnerable groups to access sports are among the successful interventions in this area. Methods: Studies were reviewed related to the topic of searching in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, ISI, Web of Science Search, Magiran, and SID, in both Persian and English, and related articles were evaluated. Results: Institutionalizing sports in society requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach between different institutions. Conclusion: Successful implementation of these strategies not only helps improve individuals' physical and mental health but also increases social productivity by overcoming existing challenges.

Keywords:

Sports psychology , challenges , interventions , sports