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Article Title: Perception and Utilization of Sport Psychology Services among Athletes of Tertiary Institutions in Lagos State of Nigeria
by Mayowa Adeyeye and Adeyemo Kehinde

Abstract:
This study sought to investigate how athletes of tertiary institutions in Lagos state perceived sport psychologist and the levels at which their service is utilized, thereby drawing the attention of tertiary institution authorities and other stakeholders to the usefulness and importance of sports psychologist in the attainment of optimal performance in sport and also to help them attain their aims of winning in any competition using sport psychology principles. The sample used for this study was two hundred and ten (n-210) athletes selected from six federal and state tertiary institutions in Lagos state of Nigeria which included University of Lagos Akoka, Lagos State University Ojo, Yaba College of Education Yaba, Federal College of Education Akoka, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education Ijanikin, and Lagos State Polytechnic. The descriptive survey design was used and the respondents were selected using purposive sampling technique. Perception and Utilization of Sport Psychology Service Questionnaire (PUSPSQ) was used to elicit opinion from respondents. The test retest reliability value obtained for the instrument using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient was 0.86. Data was analysed using frequency counts and percentage for demographic data while Chi-square was employed in determining the level of significance between the hypothesized and observed values at .05 alpha level. The result of the findings revealed that athletes did not know whom a sports psychologist is leading to the lack of employment opportunity for the sport psychologists in Nigeria.

Keywords: perception, utilization, sport psychology, tertiary institutions.

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