Sports management policies and psychosocial adaptation: The role of recreational sport in the construction of social capital

Abstract

This study examines how sports management policies shape individuals’ psychosocial adaptation and the construction of social capital through recreational sport. The problem addressed is the long-standing emphasis on infrastructure and elite performance in Türkiye’s sport policies, with psychosocial outcomes remaining peripheral. Using a qualitative design, we conducted a document analysis of national policy/strategy texts from 2019-2023 (development plan, ministry strategic documents, Sports Council outputs, and metropolitan municipalities’ strategies) and benchmarked them against the EU (2007), UNESCO (2015), and OECD (2019) frameworks. Texts were coded in NVivo by two independent coders with 87% agreement. Findings indicate that recreational sport strengthens psychosocial resilience and social support networks; however, Turkish policy documents seldom articulate social capital explicitly—particularly Putnam’s bonding/bridging dimensions—and inclusivity goals appear fragmented. While EU/UNESCO frameworks center volunteering, social participation, and equitable access, a salient policy-practice gap and weak monitoring/evaluation indicators are observed in the Turkish context. The paper integrates Bourdieu, Putnam, and Lazarus/Self-Determination Theory to propose the “Policy-Recreation-Psychosocial Adaptation Model,” advocating a policy architecture trackable through volunteering rates, participation continuity, inclusivity scores, and mental health indicators. We conclude that sport policies should be restructured to deliver not only physical outputs but also psychosocial outcomes and social capital at scale.