Benefits and challenges of practicing taekwondo to adolescents in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study aimed at examining the benefits and challenges of practicing Taekwondo (TKD) to adolescents in Addis Ababa. In so doing, the study investigated the nature of TKD training, benefits of practicing TKD, and challenges/problems related with practicing TKD. A descriptive concurrent mixed methods research design was used. Accordingly, the quantitative part of the study had 108 TKD adolescent participants while the qualitative part had 12 participants (eight TKD adolescents and four TKD coaches), from four TKD clubs in Addis Ababa. Both one-stage cluster sampling technique and purposive sampling technique were employed to select participants for the quantitative and qualitative parts of the study, respectively. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to collect data from participants. Results of the study indicated: (1) the TKD training provided by the four TKD clubs was more of a modern/sport form of TKD; (2) TKD adolescents and coaches perceived that the benefits of TKD for adolescents are multifaceted, i.e., social benefits, physical benefits, mental benefits, self-defense, addiction avoidance, and other benefits; and (3) though majority (63.6%) of the respondents claimed that they did not face any problem as a result of practicing TKD, the following were identified as major problems that could threaten the wellbeing of TKD adolescents: family-related problems, community-related problems, and competition-related problems. In general, results show that the training of TKD can have a multifaceted positive contribution to adolescents' wellbeing. Keywords: Adolescent; combat sports; martial arts; taekwondo; wellbeing. Beneficios y desafíos en la práctica de taekwondo por adolescentes en Adís Abeba, Etiopía ResumenEl objetivo de este estudio fue analizar los beneficios y desafíos de la práctica de taekwondo (TKD) por adolescentes en Adís Abeba. Se investigó la naturaleza del entrenamiento de taekwondo, beneficios y desafíos/problemas relacionados con su práctica. Se utilizó un diseño de investigación con métodos mixtos, concurrentes y descriptivos. La parte cuantitativa del estudio contó con 108 practicantes de TKD adolescentes, y 12 en la parte cualitativa (ocho adolescentes y cuatro entrenadores de TKD), de cuatro clubes de TKD de Adís Abeba. Se emplearon técnicas de muestreo por conglomerados en una sola etapa y técnicas de muestreo intencional para seleccionar, respectivamente, a los participantes de las partes cuantitativas y cualitativas del estudio, utilizando cuestionarios y entrevistas en profundidad para la recogida de datos. Los resultados del estudio indicaron que: (1) el entrenamiento de TKD realizado en los cuatro clubes estudiados respondía a una forma moderna / deportivizada de TKD; (2) los adolescentes y entrenadores de TKD percibían que los beneficios del TKD para los adolescentes son multifacéticos, i.e., beneficios sociales, físicos, mentales, defensa personal, evitar adicciones y otros beneficios; y (3) aunque la mayoría (63,6%) de los encuestados afirmó que no se enfrenta...

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