Abstract des Autors

In our study we intended to verify the influence of the "activity type" and "competitive level" variables in the mood swings of disabled athletes. 59 athletes (34 low-performance and 25 high-performance) were studied and asked to respond to the POMS (Profile of Mood States) questionnaire in the version adapted by Balaguer et al (1994). They were also asked to provide their sports background and the number of training hours per week. The profile analysis revealed a scant "Tension" and relevance of "Depression" and "Vigour". A greater feeling of hostility ("Cholera") was observed in low-performance swimmers, while high-performance swimmers are subject to depression and melancholy. The most significant data and trends correspond to inter-control differences in each of the groups. The impact of top competition on experimental changes for the group of high-performance swimmers is worthy of note, while the stability of distinguished features remains constant in the rest of the groups. The motivation for practising sports is consistent at the same level of athletic performance, with the feelings of self-control and the will to excel, along with the perception of having a "normalised" life, being the most salient features. The motivations for practising sports in the case of the low-performance group are: being able to establish, thanks to the activity, social and personal relationships; achieving a physical condition that can allow them to overcome the physical barriers of daily life more easily; and the possibility of travel. Verf.-Referat