Are all sport activities equal? A systematic review of how youth psychosocial experiences vary across differing sport activities

Basic Psychological Needs in the Face of Achievement Vulnerability: A Study in Young Team Athletes

The susceptibility of athletes to experience of emotional and psychological difficulties arising from the pressure and expectations associated with achieving and maintaining high performance can become a vulnerability in the desire to achieve success in sport. This study aims to investigate the protective value in the perception of satisfaction in basic psychological needs against the vulnerability that perfectionism generates in the appearance of reactivity linked to fear of failure. A cross-sectional, relational, and semi-randomized research design was used, applying perfectionism, fear of failure, and basic psychological needs measures adapted to both the competitive sports context and the Spanish language in a sample of 372 young Spanish athletes, under descriptive analyses and predictive models. The results showed that as the age of the participants increased, the indicators of perfectionism and fear of failure decreased, with no gender differences. The results offer and confirm the positive relationships between the dimensions of perfectionism and fear of making mistakes (where processes such as self-devaluation and fear of failing the people that participants deemed as important to them are intertwined). The perception of satisfaction of the basic psychological needs of autonomy, social relationships, and competence emerges as protective factors that mediate the perfectionism-fear of failure relationship. On the other hand, discrepancies are shown between the perfectionist dimensions concerning the relationships with the BPNs, describing certain sources of vulnerability, although there are adjustments of mental effort and discomfort in the young athletes. The conclusions offer the opportunity to investigate the aspects that facilitate the emergence of fear of failure in young athletes, mainly the performance of coaches connected to the emergence of patterns in pursuit of perfection.

Sport practice and depression during adolescence: Special emphasis on performance level and sport discipline

OBJECTIVES

Depression is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, with almost half of the adolescent population affected according to latest research. Given this serious burden of disease, research points toward interventions that could effectively fight this disease in this population subset. One of these pivotal interventions is physical activity, although the effects of different sport types and sport performance level on depression have not yet been studied in adolescent populations. Accordingly, the objective of the current study was to assess the relationship between depressive symptoms, sport type and performance level in a large adolescent population.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study assessing a large cohort of adolescents through self-reported data.

METHODS

10,248 participants aged 11-19 years old answered questionnaires regarding depressive symptoms and sporting habits and were classified according to their sport performance level: from physically inactive to internationally competitive.

RESULTS

Girls reported higher incidence of depressive symptoms than boys, difference that further increased during late adolescence. Performance level was related to depressive symptoms: inactive participants reported the highest depressive scores while internationally competitive athletes reported the lowest. However, there were no differences between competitive athletes of different performance levels. Further, sport type had a small influence on depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

All these findings result in a potential guideline for future research and community health recommendations: as long as sufficient physical activity levels are met and the adolescent engages in sporting activities, the protection against depressive symptoms remains largely unrelated to the sport type and the level at which he or she performs.

Types of leisure-time physical activity participation in childhood and adolescence, and physical activity behaviours and health outcomes in adulthood: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Youth leisure-time physical activity participation benefits physical activity habits and health outcomes later in life. However, it is unknown if certain types of leisure-time physical activity contribute to these benefits in different ways; this knowledge could enhance public health efforts. This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence of the longitudinal associations between childhood and adolescent leisure-time physical activity on adulthood physical activity behaviours and health outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic search of the literature was conducted across five databases from inception to July 2022. English, peer-reviewed observational studies with a minimum of two timepoints of data collection were eligible for inclusion. We included studies that investigated the association between participation in leisure-time physical activity types in children and adolescents (i.e., 5-18 years), and physical activity, mental health, or cardiovascular outcomes in adulthood (i.e., ≥ 18 years).

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included in the review, totalling 34,388 observations across five countries. Running in adolescence was associated with increased adulthood physical activity in both sexes, while sports involvement was associated with an increase in physical activity in males only. Adolescent team sports participation was associated with reduced odds of early adulthood depression, with varying findings for anxiety disorders. There was preliminary evidence of minimum threshold requirements for participation in certain activities before associations with future physical activity or health outcome benefits were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Preliminary findings suggest that the lifelong behavioural and health benefits of adolescent participation in leisure-time physical activity appear to be related to the type of activity undertaken, with potential differences between sexes. With the rarity of longitudinal studies spanning from childhood into adulthood, these findings provide important insights for public health strategies to optimise lifelong health and physical activity participation.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION

CRD42022347792.

Mental health in athletes: Does authentic leadership matter?

Recent research has attested to the prevalence of mental health issues in sport, and the need to identify factors that could promote athletes' mental health. In this study, we investigated: (a) whether authentic leadership is associated with athletes' mental health directly and indirectly via psychological capital and prosocial and antisocial behaviour experienced from one's teammates; and (b) whether the hypothesized model testing these relationships is the same in higher versus lower competitive level athletes. We examined two dimensions of mental health, namely positive mental health and mental illness. A total of 751 athletes (Mage = 22.92, SD = 8.53; 294 female) from a range of sports completed a multi-section questionnaire administered via an online survey. Path analysis showed that authentic leadership was positively related to positive mental health via psychological capital and prosocial behaviour and negatively linked to mental illness via psychological capital and antisocial behaviour. The effects of authentic leadership on positive mental health via prosocial teammate behaviour and subsequently psychological capital, and on mental illness via prosocial teammate behaviour, were stronger in higher compared to lower competitive level athletes. The findings suggest that by adopting an authentic leadership style coaches could strengthen athletes' positive mental health and protect them from mental illness. This may happen by increasing athletes' psychological capital and prosocial behaviour within the team and decreasing antisocial behaviour within the team.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Youth Sports Participation on Emotional Intelligence, Self-Esteem, and Life Satisfaction

The present study investigated the mediating effects of emotional intelligence and self-esteem between youth sports participation and life satisfaction, as well as the comparative effects of different types of sports involvement (team, individual, and non-participation) on these selected variables. A sample of 1053 Portuguese adolescents (612 girls and 441 boys), aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.40; SD = 1.55), completed the following self-report measures: the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. The structural equation modeling results indicated a complete mediating role of two emotional intelligence dimensions (use of emotion and self-emotional appraisal) and self-esteem in the relationship between sports participation and adolescents' life satisfaction. Team sport participants reported higher emotional intelligence and self-esteem scores than their non-sport participant counterparts who revealed lower levels of emotion use than their individual sport participant peers. These findings provide novel insights into the potential emotional and psychological mechanisms underlying the association between youth sports participation and life satisfaction.

Contribution of youth sport participation to physical activity levels and cardiovascular disease risk factors in 5-year-old to 14-year-old children: a study protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for 18 million deaths per year, disproportionately burdens under-represented racial and ethnic groups, and has economic costs greater than any other health condition. Participation in youth sport may be an effective strategy to improve CVD-related risk factors but studies of youth sport participation have shown mixed results for improving health outcomes. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review is to examine how participation in youth sport contributes to physical activity levels and CVD risk factors in children aged 5-14 years old. A secondary objective is to determine if outcomes are different in racial and ethnic groups.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The search will encompass studies published in English, Spanish or Portuguese between January 1995 and April 2024, including five databases (PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and SPORTDiscus). Studies will be included if they are experimental or observational studies, conducted in youths of any health background and assess the relationship of sport participation to physical activity levels or CVD risk factors. Studies must report on at least one of the following outcomes: (1) physical activity levels, (2) blood pressure, (3) lipid fractions, (4) body mass index (5) central adiposity, (6) systemic inflammation and (7) glucose levels/insulin resistance. Study quality will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias version 1 tool. Narrative descriptions and summary tables will be created to describe studies, results and methodological quality and be synthesised by subsets of studies based on study design and outcomes. In the systematic review, we will categorise the included studies into two subgroups (ie, observational studies, experimental studies) and meta-analyse them separately prior to exploring sources of heterogeneity.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required. The results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publication and presentation at conferences relevant to this field.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42023427219.

Predicting adolescents' continuation in club sports: A prospective cohort study of the importance of personal and contextual motivational factors in five sports in Denmark

PURPOSE

The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the influence of types of motivation, basic psychological needs satisfaction and of a coach-created motivational climate on continued participation in youth sports across types of sport, competitive levels, ages, and gender.

METHODS

Participants were 7110 adolescent (age 12-20 years) members of leisure time club organized in basketball, handball, football, badminton, and gymnastics in Denmark. Motivational regulation was measured with BRSQ-6, basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration were measured with PNSS-S, and coach-created climate was measured with the EDMCQ-C. The participants' continuation or dropout was measured at the beginning of the following season with a short electronic questionnaire.

RESULTS

Intrinsic motivation, identified behavior regulation, experiences of competence, relatedness, and autonomy, as well as a coach-created empowering motivational climate, were associated with continuation both in the sport and in the club the following season across different sports, genders, age groups, and competitive levels. Introjected and external behavior regulation, frustrations with the need to experience competence, relatedness, and autonomy, as well as a disempowering coach-created climate, were associated with dropout.

CONCLUSION

In Danish youth sports, autonomous motivation, satisfaction of basic psychological needs, and an empowering coach-created motivational climate have a positive impact on the continuation of the sport and the club the following season. In contrast, controlled types of motivation, needs frustration, and a disempowering coach-created climate are associated with dropout. This is the case at both elite and recreational levels, for boys and girls, adolescents, and youth.

Mental Health Among Elite Youth Athletes: A Narrative Overview to Advance Research and Practice

CONTEXT

Participation in sports during youth is typically beneficial for mental health. However, it is unclear whether elite sport contexts contribute to greater risk of psychological distress or disorder. The aims of this paper are to highlight conceptual issues that require resolution in future research and practice, and to examine the key factors that may contribute to the mental health of elite youth athletes (EYAs).

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A narrative overview of the literature combined with the clinical and research expertise of the authors.

STUDY DESIGN

Narrative overview.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 5.

RESULTS

EYAs experience a range of biopsychosocial developmental changes that interact with mental health in a multitude of ways. In addition, there are various sport-specific factors that contribute to the mental health of EYAs that may become more prominent in elite contexts. These include - but are not limited to - patterns relating to athlete coping and self-relating styles, the nature of peer, parental, and coach relationships, organizational culture and performance pressures, and mental health service provision and accessibility.

CONCLUSION

A range of critical factors across individual, interpersonal, organizational, and societal domains have been shown to contribute to mental health among EYAs. However, this evidence is limited by heterogeneous samples and varied or imprecise terminology regarding what constitutes "youth" and "elite" in sport. Nevertheless, it is clear that EYAs face a range of risks that warrant careful consideration to progress to best practice principles and recommendations for mental health promotion and intervention in elite youth sport.

SORT

Level C.

FIDES Athlete Development Programme: project background and study protocol of an embedded multiple case study

Most sports science research revolves around male subjects. As a result, most of the knowledge and practices within sports are male-centric. Failing to take the biological, psychological and social (biopsychosocial) particularities of females into account is believed to hinder optimal sports participation, development and performance, with potential negative effects on the health and well-being of females. To close the knowledge gap and alleviate these issues, we aim to develop and evaluate a 12-video educational intervention that addresses female-specific subject matter: the FIDES Athlete Development Programme. The study is designed as an embedded multiple case study where at least 1320 Swedish female athletes aged 13-16 will participate, in addition to their parents and their coaches. The girls will be recruited through their sports clubs, with half being exposed to the FIDES Athlete Development Programme and the other half serving as control cases. The primary outcomes are well-being and sporting experience. To further increase our understanding of the intervention and its implications, interviews and focus group interviews with a reference group of girls and focus group interviews with a randomly selected subsample of coaches and parents will also be performed. The project is approved by the Swedish ethics committee (number: 2023-05264-01) and will be carried out in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Results from the project will be published open access in peer-reviewed journals, at national and international conferences, in mass media, and a PhD thesis. The anonymised data will be made openly available in a data repository.

Sport and physical exercise in sustainable mental health care of common mental disorders: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

The large-scale disruptions to physical activity during the coronavirus pandemic have been found to be a leading predictor of common mental disorders. In addition, regular physical exercise has been found to alleviate anxiety, sadness and depression during the pandemic. These findings, together with numerous studies published before the pandemic on the effects of physical activity on mental health, should be considered in the provision of mental health care following the pandemic. Cross-sectional research has revealed that all types of exercise and sport are associated with a reduced mental health burden. Therefore, the effectiveness of exercise and sport participation in sustainable mental health care as well as the causal relationship between exercise, psychosocial health and common mental disorders merit further investigation. Physical activity and sport, with their global accessibility, significant and clinically meaningful efficacy as well as virtual absence of adverse effects, offer a promising option for the promotion of mental health, including the prevention and treatment of common mental disorders. Physical exercise and sport are likely to become valuable public mental health resources in the future.

Psychosocial Predictors of Drop-Out from Organised Sport: A Prospective Study in Adolescent Soccer

In recent years an increased drop-out rate in adolescents' soccer participation has been observed. Given the potentially adverse consequences of drop-out from soccer, more information about risk factors for drop-out is warranted. In the current study, Classification and Regression Tree (CRT) analysis was used to investigate demographic and motivational factors associated with an increased risk of drop-out from adolescent soccer. The results of this study indicate that older age, experiencing less autonomy support from the coach, less intrinsic motivation, being female, and lower socioeconomic status are factors associated with an increased risk of drop-out. An interpretation of the results of this study is that coaches play a central part in creating a sports context that facilitates motivation and continued soccer participation. Based on the findings of the current study we propose that soccer clubs implement theoretically informed coach education programs to help coaches adopt autonomy-supportive coaching strategies.

The Influence of Adolescent Sport Participation on Body Mass Index Tracking and the Association between Body Mass Index and Self-Esteem over a Three-Year Period

This study aimed to (1) investigate gender-specific characteristics associated with low sport participation among UK adolescents, and (2) assess gender-specific BMI tracking, and gender-specific associations between BMI and self-esteem based on different levels of adolescent sport participation. Participants were 9046 (4523 female) UK adolescents. At 11- and 14 years self-esteem was self-reported and BMI was calculated from objectively measured height and weight. At 11- years sport participation was parent-reported. Gender-specific sport participation quartile cut-off values categorised boys and girls separately into four graded groups. Gender-specific χ² and independent samples t tests assessed differences in measured variables between the lowest (Q1) and highest (Q4) sport participation quartiles. Adjusted linear regression analyses examined BMI tracking and associations between BMI and self-esteem scores. Gender-specific analyses were conducted separately for sport participation quartiles. Compared to Q4 boys and girls, Q1 boys and girls were more likely to be non-White, low family income, have overweight/obesity at 11 years and report lower self-esteem at 11 years and 14 years. BMI at 11 years was positively associated with BMI at 14 years for boys and girls across sport participation quartiles. BMI at 11 years was inversely associated with self-esteem scores at 11 years for Q1 and Q2 boys, and Q1 and Q4 girls. BMI at 11 years was inversely associated with self-esteem scores at 14 years for Q1, Q3 and Q4 boys, and Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 girls. Gender and sport participation influence BMI tracking and the BMI and self-esteem association among adolescents.

Description of sport participation profiles and transitions across profiles during adolescence

Few studies describe sport participation profiles in the general population using multiple characteristics. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify sport participation profiles during adolescence and to describe transitions across profiles from grades 5 to 12 (age 10 to 18 years). We used data from 916 participants (55% girls; age 10-12 years at inception) of the Monitoring Activities of Teenagers to Comprehend their Habits (MATCH) study. Participants self-reported involvement in 36 organized and unorganized physical activities three times/year from grades 5 to 12 (24 data collection cycles; 2011-2018). At each school grade, we derived four categorical variables of sport involvement: number of organized sports, number of unorganized activities, weekly sessions, and number of year-round activities. To identify sport participation profiles, we used latent class analysis at each grade. To characterize transitions between sport participation profiles across grades, we used latent transition analysis. Five distinct sport participation profiles emerged: "non-participants", "unorganized activities only", "single-sport low frequency", "single sport high frequency", and "multi-sport". Only "multi-sport" participants were unlikely to be classified as "non-participants" over time. Encouraging multi-sport participation might help protect against later non-participation. This study helps identify important times to intervene for improving physical activity levels.

A survey of contextual factors and psychological needs satisfaction as correlates of youth athletes' developmental outcomes in the Ethiopian sports academy context

Background

This study examined the contextual factors associated with psychological need satisfaction (PNS) and the predictability of the PNS components, together with the contextual factors, on the developmental outcomes of elite young athletes in the Ethiopian sports academies, and further identified differences in perception of PNS from a comparative perspective. The study used a cross-sectional survey design applying developmental and PNS theories as guiding frameworks. Samples of elite young Ethiopian athletes participated (n = 257, 47.47% were women with a mean age of 17.44 years and SD = 0.87, and 52.53% were men with a mean age of 18.25 years and SD = 1.14).

Results

Structural equation modeling showed that the three PNS domains, together with the five contextual factors positively predicted the three developmental outcomes measured (41–54% explained variance). Moreover, there were higher differences in PNS (0.55 ≤ Cohen’s d ≥ 0.71) among young athletes classified by the sport types.

Discussion

As per the findings of this study, young athletes may differ in the levels of PNS they obtained depending on the type of sports enrolled in sports academies. Also, the results of this study indicated that PNS attained may be modestly influenced by some contextual factors. It also evidenced that those developmental outcomes in elite young athletes are significantly positively associated with contextual and PNS factors. Stakeholders such as young athlete coaches, parents, sports psychologists, and administrators must consider the differing implications of program type during the elite young athletes’ participation in sports academics and the significant positive association between contextual factors, PNS, and developmental outcomes of elite young athletes.

Conclusions

In sum, the PNS of youth athletes may differ across sports types and the talent development of elite young athletes should emphasize the individual nature of the processes. Also, it can be concluded that the PNS components than the contextual factors had higher predictions of developmental outcomes.

"Balance Is Better": The Wellbeing Benefits of Participating in a Breadth of Sports across a Variety of Settings during Adolescence

The purpose of this study was to examine how wellbeing is associated with the setting in which sport participation takes place and the breadth of sport participation. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation, (dis)ability status), recreational physical activity, and wellbeing were assessed in cohorts of adolescents (11-17 years) between 2017 and 2019 in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Better wellbeing was associated with participation in any sport vs. none (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.30-1.90). Better wellbeing was also associated with participating in any coached sport training (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.33-1.66), competitive sport (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.18-1.49), social sport (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.18-1.49), and uncoached sport training (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.03-1.31) compared to non-participation in the given setting. Wellbeing was not associated with participation in physical education or solo sport. Participating in sport in three to five different settings (3 settings: OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.01-1.44; 4 settings: OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.09-1.62; 5 settings: OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.07-1.75) or sports (3 sports: OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.04-1.51; 4 sports: OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.06-1.61; 5 sports: OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05-1.69) was associated with better wellbeing compared to participation in a single setting or sport, respectively. A balanced approach to participating across a variety of sport settings and sports that are facilitated by quality coaches may offer the largest additional wellbeing value.

Evaluating the Practices and Challenges of Youth Volleyball Development in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia by Using the CIPP Model

Youth athletes’ talent identification and development has become a serious concern around the globe. However, empirical evidence regarding youth sports policies and practices is limited. Emphasizing the talent development needs of youth volleyball players, in this study, the authors evaluated the practices and challenges of a youth volleyball development program in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. This study addressed this concern by drawing upon Stufflebeam’s context, input, process, product (CIPP) model to explore a youth volleyball development program across the training sites located in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. With the help of this model, this study evaluated the prevailing contexts, allocated inputs, program implementation processes, and products. To this end, this study used multiple case studies involving ten youth project sites. The study participants included samples of participants (n = 179), consisting of youth volleyball players (n = 167), their coaches (n = 8), regional volleyball administrators, and regional educational office physical education coordinators (n = 4). The study participants identified some benefits from participating in the youth volleyball program, which included increased physical activity and health, enhanced positive interpersonal relationships, and knowledge of how to cope with challenges. However, they reported several challenges attributable to contextual constraints which included a lack of the necessary facilities and resources, lack of concern and convenient settings, poor implementation practices, and minimal outcomes. The findings suggest that the challenges of youth volleyball development in Ethiopia are complex and emanate from the context, input, process, and products. Accordingly, when addressing the issues of youth volleyball, it is necessary to develop systems, processes, methods, and tools that recognize all these concerns.

Impact of organized activities on mental health in children and adolescents: An umbrella review

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This umbrella review included six systematic reviews of lower quality.

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A small positive impact of organized sport activities on youth mental health was found.

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Only two systematic reviews that studied organized non-sport activities could be included.

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Mixed results were found for impact of organized non-sport activities on youth mental health.

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Mediation or confounding through physical activity needs further study.

Mental health problems are a leading cause of health-related disability among children and adolescents. Organized activities are a possible preventive factor for mental health problems. An aggregated overview of evidence is relevant for youth policymakers and is lacking so far.

Thus we aim to provide an overview of published systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the impact of participation in organized sport and non-sport activities (e.g. arts, music) on childhood and adolescent mental health. Systematic reviews were identified through a search in five databases (Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science core collection, CINAHL and PsycINFO) on 25-March-2021. Systematic reviews about organized activities and mental health outcomes in 0–21-year-olds published in English were included. Two independent reviewers assessed titles, abstracts and full texts, performed data-extraction and quality assessment using the AMSTAR-2 and assessed the quality of evidence. Out of 833 studies, six were considered eligible. Quality of the reviews ranged from critically low to moderate. Most reviews focused on organized sport activities, focusing on: team sport, level of sport involvement, extracurricular and community sport activities. Indications of a positive impact on mental health outcomes were found for participation in team sport, in (school) clubs, and in extracurricular and community sport and non-sport activities. We found a small positive impact of organized sport activities on mental health outcomes among children and adolescents. This seems not to depend on any specific type of organized sport activity. Limited evidence was found for organized non-sport activities.

Associations between organised leisure-time activities and mental health problems in children

Previous studies conducted mainly among adolescents have found associations between participation in sport organised leisure-time activities (OLTAs) and mental health problems (MHP). Fewer research studies have been performed to primary school-aged children and to organised non-sport OLTAs. Therefore, the objective is to examine whether there is an association between participation in sport and non-sport OLTAs and a high risk of MHP in 4- to 12-year-olds. Data were used on 5010 children from a cross-sectional population-based survey conducted between May and July 2018 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Associations between sport OLTAs, non-sport OLTAs and breadth of OLTAs and a high risk of MHP were explored using logistic regression models adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, stressful life events and physical activity. Of all children, 58% participated in sport OLTAs and 22% in non-sport OLTAs. The proportion of children with high risk of MHP among participants in sport OLTAs is smaller than among non-participants (OR 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53, 0.81). The proportion of children with high risk of MHP among participants in non-sport OLTAs is smaller than among non-participants (OR 0.69, 95% CI: 0.53, 0.91). The proportion of children with a high risk of MHP among participants in 1 category of OLTAs (OR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.76) and in 2-5 categories of OLTAs (OR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.71) is smaller than among non-participants.  Conclusion: The proportion of children with high risk of MHP among participants in OLTAs is smaller than among non-participants. What is Known: • Around 10--20% of children and adolescents experiences mental health problems. • Sport organised leisure-time activities have been found to be associated with a lower risk of mental health problems in adolescents. What is New: • The proportion of children with a high risk of mental health problems in participants in organised leisure-time activities is smaller than among non-participants. • The proportion of children with a high risk of mental health problems in participants with a higher breadth of organised leisure-time activities is smaller compared to non-participants.

Empirical Support for the Tenets of Sport Participation and Physical Activity-Based Models: A Scoping Review

Notwithstanding their wide-spread use, it is unclear what level of empirical evidence exists to support sport participation and physical activity-based models. Sport participation and physical activity-based models characterize different stages of sport involvement based on sport activities (organized and unorganized) individuals take part in throughout their lifespan. The objectives of this scoping review was to explore the nature of empirical support for tenets of sport participation and physical activity-based models describing the evolution of an individuals' sport participation. Seventeen different sport participation models were identified through an iterative literature review, using a snowball search strategy and expert (n = 8) consultation. Of the identified models, three described the evolution of an individual's sport participation based on their participation in different activities at various stages of sport involvement and were retained for the review. A second literature review identified peer-reviewed publications supporting at least one tenet of these three models. Many tenets of retained models received some empirical support from some of the 38 publications identified, but some tenets were not tested. Most of the evidence supporting tenets originated from studies among elite-level athletes. Whereas some evidence exists to support current sport participation and physical activity models, more research is warranted, particularly among the general population of non-elite athletes, for the models to be used in full confidence to guide sport policies, programs, and practices.

Youth Perspectives on What Makes a Sports Club a Health-Promoting Setting-Viewed through a Salutogenic Settings-Based Lens

Sports participation has the potential to contribute to young people’s health. A prerequisite for young people to benefit from sports is that they stay in sports. Studies that consider both personal and contextual factors are needed to unpack the broader health-promoting potential of youth sports. The purpose of the study is to contribute to knowledge about the health-promoting potential of young people’s participation in organized sports by exploring youth perspectives on what makes a sports club health-promoting with a focus on health resources that young people consider important for sports club participation. For this cross-sectional study a brief survey was conducted with 15–16 year old students (n = 123) at two schools in Sweden, asking three open-ended questions about their participation in sports. The study used a salutogenic theory-driven analysis in combination with statistical analysis. Five health resources that young people consider important for sports club participation are revealed. On an individual, more ‘swimmer’-related level, these are personal well-being and social relations, including relationally meaningful activities, and on an organizational level, relating to the ‘river’, that sports clubs offer a supportive and well-functioning environment. For sports clubs to be health-promoting settings for young people and thus hopefully to reduce drop-out, we need a more sustainable approach emphasizing drop-in, drop-through, and drop-over as a continuous iterative process. We also need to consider the complexity of sports participation for young people, involving individual, organizational and environmental issues.

An Examination of the Relationship Between Coaches' Transformational Leadership and Athletes' Personal and Group Characteristics in Elite Youth Soccer

There is a growing body of the literature highlighting the positive impact of transformational leadership behaviours across contexts, including sport. However, there is a lack of knowledge of this relationship within elite sport settings. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between elite youth athletes' perceptions of coaches' transformational coaching-behaviours and variables that have been linked to transformational leadership in other settings (i.e., group cohesion, motivational climate, self-regulation of learning and athlete satisfaction). Norwegian elite youth soccer players (n = 753) selected into the national talent development program completed questionnaires to measure the variables of interest. Using structural equation modelling, results revealed a positive path from transformational leadership to both task and social cohesion, task-oriented motivational climates, self-regulation of learning and athlete satisfaction. Finally, a negative path from transformational leadership to ego-oriented climates was identified. The findings are in line with previous research in associating transformational leadership behaviours with adaptive outcomes, and further indicating that such relationships may also be valid in elite sport contexts.

The Knowledge Map of Sport and Exercise Psychology: An Integrative Perspective

The present work contains a personal perspective on what sport and exercise psychology (SEP) is today. It is a global synthesis of research about psychological aspects related to the context and practice of sport and exercise. The intended impact was to positively influence teaching SEP to students, to promote interdisciplinary research and practice, and to assist the development of SEP as an applied science by helping experts develop a more holistic view of the field. Over 650 theoretical and review articles about psychological concepts in connection to sport and exercise were read in the process of creating a conceptual model that reflects the essence of SEP and leads to a conceptualization of SEP based on research topics. The result was a knowledge map of SEP made up of four main research clusters: biopsychological descriptors, external variables, psychological skills, and applied SEP practice. In terms of interdisciplinarity, the present perspective on SEP suggests that sport and exercise can be used as a research paradigm or natural laboratory to study psychological aspects relevant to various scientific fields, and that sport and exercise can be used as a therapeutic framework in response to challenges that researchers and practitioners in these fields are typically addressing.

Does organized sports participation in childhood and adolescence positively influence health? A review of reviews

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Eight systematic reviews on organized sports participation related to health exist.

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Organized sports participation has a moderate effect on crude body weight loss.

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Dose relates to anxiety, depression, physical activity, and bone health responses.

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Associations with psychological and social health were inconclusive.

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Experimental and longitudinal population-based observational studies are needed.

Sports participations have the potential for both positive and negative health outcomes. We hence aimed (i) to assess systematically reviewed associations between organized sports participation in children and adolescents and their health, and (ii) to assess qualitative syntheses of experiences among children and adolescents concerning organized sports participation and health. A search was undertaken in April 2020 across the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsycInfo (Ovid), Scopus, SPORTDiscus (EBSCOhost), and specialized databases for reviews. The recommended Joanna Briggs Institute approach to critical appraisal, study selection, data extraction, and data synthesis was used. Systematic reviews were included that covered children and/or adolescents aged ≤ 18 years, and adult participants with retrospective exposure to—or experiences of—organized sports participation before the age of 19 and examining health outcomes and experiences (Prospero protocol CRD 42020206677). Five reviews based mainly on cross-sectional data, two mainly on longitudinal data, and one on experimental studies were included. A causal relationship of moderate-to-high level of evidence between organized sports participation and moderate crude weight reduction accentuated by diet control and team sports was identified. Evidence of causal relationships between sports participation and reduced anxiety, and depression and increased physical activity was at a moderate level. Evidence of causal relationships between sports participation and health was of low-to-moderate level concerning obesity status (inconclusive), bone health (positive), and psychological and social health (positive and negative). Causal relationships between organized child and adolescent sports participation and health remain uncertain. Experimental and well-conducted longitudinal primary studies are highly warranted.

Psychosocial development and mental health in youth Brazilian club athletes: examining the effects of age, sport type, and training experience

Abstract Physical activity occurring through organized sport has been positioned as an engaging manner not only to prevent chronic-degenerative diseases but also to promote healthier societies. However, there is a lack of evidence linking competitive sport participation in the club environment in promoting youth athletes’ psychosocial development and mental health. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the effects of age, sport type, and training experience on the psychosocial development and mental health of youth Brazilian club athletes. Participants were 220 male adolescent athletes (Mean =14.09 years; SD = 2.21) from individual and team sports. Instruments included the Portuguese Youth Experience Survey for Sport (P-YES-S) and the Portuguese Mental Health Continuum – Short Form (P-MHC-SF). Correlation and multilevel linear regression analyses were performed. The results indicated a moderated correlation between both questionnaires. For the P-YES-S, model effect estimations showed variation for age in the Personal and Social Skills dimension and variations for training experience in the Cognitive Skills and Negative Experiences dimensions. For the P-MHC-SF, model effect estimations showed variation for age in the Emotional Well Being dimension and variation for sport type in Social Well Being and Psychological Well Being dimensions. More research is needed to continue examining how characteristics of sport participation are related to psychosocial development and mental health.

Ten Research Priorities Related to Youth Sport, Physical Activity, and Health

Background: Sport has been identified as one of the 7 best investments for increasing physical activity levels across the life span. Several questions remain on how to effectively utilize youth sport as a strategy for increasing physical activity and improving health in youth. The purpose of this paper is to identify the main research priorities in the areas of youth sport and physical activity for health.Methods: An international expert panel was convened, selected to cover a wide spectrum of topics related to youth sport. The group developed a draft set of potential research priorities, and relevant research was scoped. Through an iterative process, the group reached consensus on the top 10 research priorities.Results: The 10 research priorities were identified related to sport participation rates, physical activity from sport, the contribution of sport to health, and the overall return on investment from youth sport. For each research priority, the current evidence is summarized, key research gaps are noted, and immediate research needs are suggested.Conclusion: The identified research priorities are intended to guide researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to increase the evidence base on which to base the design, delivery, and policies of youth sport programs to deliver health benefits.

Obesity in Young Adulthood: The Role of Physical Activity Level, Musculoskeletal Pain, and Psychological Distress in Adolescence (The HUNT-Study)

The global obesity epidemic raises long-term health concerns which underline the importance of preventive efforts. We aimed to investigate individual and combined effects of common health problems in adolescence on the probability of obesity in young adulthood. This prospective population-based study included data from participants in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study in Norway (Young-HUNT1 (1995–1997), age 13–19, baseline) who participated in HUNT3 as young adults 11 years later (age 23–31). Exposure variables at baseline included self-reported physical activity, musculoskeletal pain, and psychological distress. We examined associations between exposure variables and the main outcome of obesity in young adulthood (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) using univariate and multiple logistic regression, stratified by sex. Probabilities of obesity for given combinations of the exposure variables were visualized in risk matrixes. The study sample consisted of 1859 participants (43.6% boys). Higher probabilities of obesity in young adulthood were found across combinations of lower physical activity levels and presence of musculoskeletal pain in adolescence. Additional adverse effects of psychological distress were low. Proactive intervention strategies to promote physical activity and facilitate sports participation for all adolescents, whilst addressing musculoskeletal pain and its potential individual causes, could prove helpful to prevent development of obesity in young adulthood.

Adolescent Sport Participation and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sport may protect against symptoms of mental disorders that are increasingly prevalent among adolescents. This systematic review explores the relationship between adolescent organized sport participation and self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. From 9,955 records screened, 29 unique articles were selected that included 61 effect sizes and 122,056 participants. Effects were clustered into four categories based on the operationalization of sport involvement: absence or presence of involvement, frequency of involvement, volume of involvement, and duration of participation. Results from the random-effects meta-analyses indicated that symptoms of anxiety and depression were significantly lower among sport-involved adolescents than in those not involved in sport, although this effect size was small in magnitude. Meta-regression was used to identify how age and sex explained heterogeneity in effects. Although these results do not signify a causal effect, they do support theorizing that sport participation during adolescence may be a protective environment against anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Are one-year changes in adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines associated with depressive symptoms among youth?

Background

There remains a need for prospective research examining movement behaviours in the prevention and management of mental illness. This study examined whether changes in adherence to the 24-h Movement Guidelines (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA], sleep duration, screen time) were associated with depression symptoms among youth.

Methods

Conditional change models were used to analyze two waves of longitudinal questionnaire data (2016/17, 2017/18) from students in grades 9–12 (N = 2292) attending 12 schools in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada, as part of the COMPASS study. One-year change in adherence to the MVPA, screen time, and sleep duration guidelines were modeled as predictors of depressive symptoms, adjusting for covariates and prior year depressive symptoms. Models were stratified by sex.

Results

Continued adherence to sleep guidelines and transitioning from inadequate to sufficient sleep were associated with lower depressive symptoms than continued nonadherence, and continued adherence was associated with lower depression than transitioning from sufficient to short sleep. For screen time, transitioning from exceeding guidelines to guideline adherence was associated with lower depressive symptoms than continued nonadherence. MVPA guideline adherence was not associated with depression scores, when controlling for sleep and screen time guideline adherence change and covariates. When combined, meeting additional guidelines than the year prior was associated with lower depressive symptoms among females only.

Conclusions

Adherence to the sleep guidelines emerged as the most consistent predictor of depression symptoms. Promoting adherence to the Movement Guidelines, particularly sleep, should be considered priorities for youth mental health at a population level.

Sports Academy as an Avenue for Psychosocial Development and Satisfaction of Youth Athletes in Ethiopia

This study aimed to explore a social-contextual view of talent development in sports by which the demographic and contextual factors of engagement, psychosocial development, and satisfaction, and the extent of their relationships, may be investigated concurrently. The sample (n = 257, nfemale = 122, and nmale = 135) consists of youth athletes (mean age = 17.87 and standard deviation = 1.10), and cross-sectional survey data from two randomly selected sports academies in Ethiopia. Analyses involve group comparisons to identify differences and multiple regressions to examine predictions. Group comparison results show that enrollment in a sports academy accounted for a significant difference in youth athletes’ measured engagement. Moreover, results of regression analyses indicate that higher psychosocial development and more satisfaction of youth athletes were associated with higher engagement and some demographic and contextual factors. Results also show that higher engagement of youth athletes was associated with some demographic and contextual factors. The group comparison results support the self-determination theory, providing evidence regarding the importance of social-contextual conditions in determining the engagement of youth athletes. The results of multiple regression analyses validate engagement theory and substantiate the results of previous studies on talent development. Specifically, it may be inferred that youth athletes’ engagement is not only one of the results of participation in sports but also one of the processes contributing to higher levels of reported psychosocial development and satisfaction. The implications of these results for theory and practice are discussed.

Physical activity and sport participation among adolescents: associations with mental health in different age groups. Results from the Young-HUNT study: a cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVES

Knowledge of how physical activity (PA) and sport participation are related to mental health throughout adolescence is scarce. Our objective was to describe PA levels and sport participation in a population-based sample of adolescents, and to explore how they relate to mental health in different age groups.

DESIGN

A population-based cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The adolescent part of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, a Norwegian population-based health survey, conducted from 2006 to 2008. Of 10 464 invited participants (age 13-19 years), 7619 (73%) participated, of whom 3785 (50%) were boys.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Mental health outcomes included psychological distress assessed using a short version of the Hopkins Symptom Check List Five items, self-esteem assessed using a short version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and life satisfaction assessed with a single-item satisfaction with life measure.

METHOD

Logistic regression models were used to estimate the likelihood of psychological distress, low self-esteem and low life satisfaction, according to self-reported PA level and type of sport participation, stratified by gender and school level (junior vs senior high school).

RESULTS

Fewer senior high school students participated in team sports compared with junior high school students (p<0.001). Physically active adolescents and participants in team sports had higher self-esteem and life satisfaction. A high PA level, compared with a low PA level, was associated with reduced odds of psychological distress among senior high school students (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.86 for girls and OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.79 for boys). Team sport participation was associated with reduced odds of psychological distress in senior high school girls.

CONCLUSION

A high PA level was favourably associated with various dimensions of mental health, especially for adolescents in senior high school. Team sport participation may have a positive impact on mental health and should, therefore, be encouraged.

Sports participation and psychosocial health: a longitudinal observational study in children

BACKGROUND

It is well known that sports participation is positively associated with psychosocial health in children, but details about this association over time are lacking. This study aimed to explore longitudinal associations between several characteristics of sports participation and three aspects of psychosocial health (internalizing problems, externalizing problems and prosocial behaviour) in Dutch children aged 10-12 years.

METHODS

Data from 695 fourth-grade primary school children were included at baseline; 10-13 months later, 487 children (response rate 70.1%) were retained. At both time points, children reported on their sports participation (Move and Sports Monitor Questionnaire - Youth Aged 8-12 Years) and psychosocial health (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire). Longitudinal associations between several characteristics of sports participation and the three aspects of psychosocial health were analysed using linear mixed models, both clustering the repeated measures within children and clustering the children within schools. In addition to crude analyses, analyses were performed adjusting for sex, age, BMI, household composition, SES and frequency of sports participation.

RESULTS

Membership in a sports club, moderate or high frequency of sports participation, performing team sports, performing outdoor sports, performing contact sports and involvement in competition were longitudinally associated with fewer internalizing problems. The longitudinal association of higher frequency of sports participation with fewer internalizing problems was stronger as a child's BMI increased. The association of performing team sports with fewer internalizing problems was only observed for boys. Membership in a sports club and moderate or high frequency of sports participation were also longitudinally associated with better prosocial behaviour. These associations with prosocial behaviour were stronger for girls. None of the characteristics of sports participation examined were longitudinally associated with externalizing problems.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that from a longitudinal perspective, fewer internalizing problems and better prosocial behaviour were seen in children who were active in sports. Fewer internalizing problems were also associated with the kind of sports participation; for example, with performing outdoor sports. No associations were found for externalizing problems. Future research should preferably take the form of an intervention to investigate whether the observed statistical associations are of a causal nature.

Prospective associations between sport participation and psychological adjustment in adolescents

BACKGROUND

Engaging in sport has been suggested to be mitigate against psychological distress. Using a prospective-longitudinal design, we examine whether sport participation is associated with reduced psychological difficulties in adolescents and whether associations differ by sport and personal characteristics.

METHODS

17 550 adolescents from grade 7 to 10 (mean age=14.4 years old) self-reported on sport participation, depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms and loneliness in Spring 2007 and 1 year later. Analyses tested the association between sport participation and subsequent psychological difficulties using linear regression, while adjusting for pre-existing psychological and sociodemographic characteristics. Analyses also verified whether associations differed by sport frequency (weekly/more than weekly) and type (team/individual) using Wald tests of parameter constraints, as well as sex, age and pre-existing psychological difficulties using interaction terms.

RESULTS

After adjusting for potential confounders, sport participation predicted lower social anxiety symptoms (beta=-0.02 (-0.04, -0.01)) and loneliness (beta=-0.04 (-0.05, -0.02)), but not depressive symptoms. Moderation analyses showed that sport participation predicted greater reductions in depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms and loneliness in adolescents with higher baseline scores on each outcome. Associations did not differ by sport frequency and type, sex and age. Post hoc analyses revealed bidirectional associations between sport participation and social anxiety symptoms and loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS

Sport participation predicts small reductions in adolescent psychological distress. Reductions seem most important in youth experiencing greater pre-existing psychological difficulty. Our findings suggest that sport participation represents a protective factor that supports psychological resilience in at-risk youth.