Socio-Cultural Interest and Motivational Barriers for Female Sports Participation in Pakistan: A Comparative Study of Universities and Colleges

Purpose: This study's primary objective was to analyze the situation of Pakistani females' sports participation and to determine which Socio-Cultural, Interest, and Motivational barriers currently impede their sports participation and how these barriers can be reduced by adopting the feministic approach in sports, which is based on Bandura's social cognitive theory.Methodology: This study employed mix-method research methodology, based on both qualitative and quantitative research design. Qualitative data of 8-HODs and quantitative data of 592-female students from the 8 selected public colleges and universities in Southern Punjab-Pakistan was collected through close-ended and open ended questionnaires with convenient sampling technique. For data analysis, SPSS v.20 was used. Descriptive and correlations analysis was conducted to find the differences and association among the variables.Conclusionsː Regarding sociocultural factors, this study shows that family support, interest, and motivation are significantly and positively&corelated&with female sports participation, whereas religious and cultural limitations have an nonsignificant and negative impact on female sports participation. Although these socio-cultural factors impact is not much significant in the colleges as compare to the universities, but overall, their parents’ negative attitude, expectations for academic performance and unawareness regarding sports benefits, females feel uncomfortable, less passion and interest in sports participation. Further, it was also found, in both universities and colleges, that Islamic dress code, male permission, no proper changing rooms, cultural conflicts, mix-gender sports, less freedom of solely movement, discouragement by society/culture are the major dimensions of religious and cultural limitations towards sports participation. Along with new dimensions and locality, the current study was a first attempt to provide the practitioners, policy makers and researchers to understand the issues of cultural and religious, interest and motivation and family support towards female sports participation in Pakistan.