Gender and Japan-Korea Differences in Psychological Characteristics through DIPCA and POMS for All Japan Wheelchair Basketball Atheletes

Although previous studies investigating physical performance and biomechanics in wheelchair-bound athletes were reported, few studies have characterized the psychological state of these athletes. This study investigated differences in psychological characteristics among 37 wheelchair-bound athletes (Japanese males, n=11; Japanese females, n=9; Korean males, n=17). All subjects belonged to their own national teams for disabled wheelchair basketball. All subjects completed both the Diagnostic Inventory of Psychological-Competitive Ability for Athletes (DIPCA) and the Profile Of Mood States (POMS). Statictics analysis of DIPCA showed that the psychological competitive abilities in the Japanese males were significantly better than those in the Korean males in this series. However. the scores on POMS did not show significant differences between the Japanese and Korean males, expect for the score for "anger". Neither DIPCA nor POMS showed any significant differences with regard to gender. Above all, we conclude that the psychological differences between Japanese and Koreans reflected the outcomes of international competitions and these there was no gender difference in psychological characteristics.