The Relationship Between Optimism and Psychological Flow State Amongst Basketball Players in The West Bank-Palestine

The study aimed to determine the level of optimism and psychological flow state amongst basketball players in the West Bank, and the relationship between them. In addition، to determine the differences in the level of optimism and psychological flow state amongst basketball players in the West Bank, according to degree of the club، playing experience, and qualification variables. The study was conducted on a sample of 125 players from different grades of the basketball in the West Bank, representing (18%) of the population of the study, to measure the optimism (Abdul Khaliq (1995 ) 15 items scale was used، and in order to measure Ratib, Mursi and sayed. (2004) scale was used. In order to answer questions of the study means، percentages, standard deviation , Pearson correlation , analysis of variance (One Way ANOVA), and (Tukeys Test) post-hoc test were used. The study revealed the following results: - The level of optimism amongst basketball players in the West Bank was high where the percentage of response reached (74.90%). - The level of psychological flow state amongst basketball players in the West Bank was high where the percentage of response reached(74.01%).The level of psychological flow state were high in all domains except the anxiety responses was moderate، and the highest was for enjoy domain ( 80.16 % ), and the lowest level was the face of concern domain (69.56%). - There were significant differences in the level of optimism for the players clubs Premier League and players in the (second, third) degree in favor of players clubs Premier League، and between the players first division clubs and players (second, third) in favor of the players first division clubs. - There were a positive relation between optimism and psychological flow state for the basketball players in the West Bank at the level of significance (= 0.05) since the correlation coefficient was high as it reached (0.75). - There were a significant differences in the level of optimism among the players between ( 5 years or less ) and (6-10 years, and more than 10 years) of playing experience in favor of ( 5 years or less). - There were a significant differences in the psychological flow state, between first division ( second and third ) clubs in favor of the players first -class clubs. based on the findings of the study the researcher recommended several recommendations، including: 1. Psychological attention to the numbers long and short-term basketball players from both sexual because of its importance in reaching the highest levels، especially when the convergence of physical abilities, skills and tactical, a psychological factor becomes crucial one in determine the results of matches. 2. Need to focus on study optimism and their relationship to psychological factors , physical and mental skills and tactical in athletes in all sports and both sexual and various ages in Palestine. Key words: Optimism,Psychological Flow State , Basketball, West Bank