Miroljub Ivanović, Uglješa Ivanović

The aim of this research was to examine the contribution of a predictor variable (self-concept) in predicting the criterion of loneliness as well as the gender differences among football players – cadets. This cross-sectional study included a pertinent sample of Serbian football players (N = 218), 111 of which were male, and 107 female. Two measuring instruments were used: the Self-liking/Self-competence Scale-Revised Version (SLCS-R; Tafarodi & Swann, 2001) and the adapted short version of The UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA; Lacković-Grgin, Penezić and Nekić, 2002). The internal consistency and reliability of the scales was defined by using the Cronbach alpha coefficient, which was satisfactory when applied on the given sample. The results of this two-way/multi-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) imply that there is no statistically significant gender difference in evaluating the perceived loneliness, while the significant difference was found with the dimension self-concept where female adolescents experience the lower level of negative self-image unlike their male peers. The findings of this hierarchical regression analysis indicate that there is a possibility that the negative partial predictor global self-concept is statistically significant and that it accounted for 33% of the variance of the criterion loneliness (β =-0.40, p<0.01). Also, the male and female football players who manifested lower scores on the global self-concept perceive loneliness to a higher degree. In accordance with the expectations, it can be concluded that the hypothesis has been confirmed, meaning that a statistically significant contribution of the subjective experience of self-concept in explaining the latent dimension of loneliness was determined. The results of the regression equation indicate that there is a match with the findings of previous international studies. The results of previous studies were commented upon in this research, as well as the methodological limitations of schools, recommendations for future empirical research in this area and the research implications on adolescent cadet football players.

Keywords: self-acceptance, self-competence, loneliness, football, adolescence

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