Youth athletes' sustained involvement in elite sport: An exploratory examination of elements affecting their athletic participation

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 658-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elodie Wendling ◽  
Meredith Flaherty ◽  
Michael Sagas ◽  
Kyriaki Kaplanidou

In this exploratory study, we first intended to identify the underlying structure of components affecting the sport participation of 1258 elite youth athletes from the USA through a principal component analysis of 23 items related to motives and barriers to participation and created for this study. A six-component solution was proposed, including college and professional aspirations and competence beliefs, coach and peer relationships, pressures from parents and coach, intrinsic and self-determined extrinsic motivation, external barriers, and non–self-determined extrinsic motivation. Noteworthy differences by age, gender, and race on those retained components were also reported. Lastly, results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that 28% of the variance in sport enjoyment was explained by all retained components. Given the rapid growth of travel teams, this study provides a timely cross-sectional and multisport assessment of the state of elite youth sport in the USA. In consideration of optimistic outcomes observed in this study compared to alarming attrition trends commonly found in the elite youth sport environment, this study may serve as a reference as to the elements that influence sustained participation that is indispensable in today's youth sport landscape. Results also provided important theoretical contributions with respect to motivational processes underlying elite sport participation. Practical implications with regards to the influence of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and barrier elements on elite sport participation are also presented.

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-143
Author(s):  
Stephanie A Kliethermes ◽  
Stephen W Marshall ◽  
Cynthia R LaBella ◽  
Andrew M Watson ◽  
Joel S Brenner ◽  
...  

Sport specialisation is becoming increasingly common among youth and adolescent athletes in the USA and many have raised concern about this trend. Although research on sport specialisation has grown significantly, numerous pressing questions remain pertaining to short-term and long-term effects of specialisation on the health and well-being of youth, including the increased risk of overuse injury and burnout. Many current elite athletes did not specialise at an early age. Methodological and study design limitations impact the quality of current literature, and researchers need to prioritise pressing research questions to promote safe and healthy youth sport participation. The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine hosted a Youth Early Sport Specialization Summit in April 2019 with the goal of synthesising and reviewing current scientific knowledge and developing a research agenda to guide future research in the field based on the identified gaps in knowledge. This statement provides a broad summary of the existing literature, gaps and limitations in current evidence and identifies key research priorities to help guide researchers conducting research on youth sport specialisation. Our goals are to help improve the quality and relevance of research on youth sport specialisation and to ultimately assure that opportunities for healthy and safe sport participation continue for all youth.


2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-50
Author(s):  
Kyle L. Crouch ◽  
Abigail Larson ◽  
Mark DeBeliso

The motivation for youth sport involvement may differ for single-sport (non-specialists), multi-sport, and single-sport specialized athletes. To investigate differences between adolescent single-sport athletes (NSSA), multi-sport athletes (MSA), and single-sport specialized athletes (SSSA) on measures of sport enjoyment and motivation. A secondary aim was to compare these variables between age groups. Adolescent sport participants in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade from the Western United States (n=306, age=13.0±1.0 yrs) completing the Sources of Enjoyment in Youth Sport Questionnaire (SEYSQ) that assesses sport enjoyment in the subscales of self-referenced competency (SRC), other-referenced competency and recognition (ORCR), effort expenditure (EE), competitive excitement (CE), affiliation with peers (AP), and positive parental involvement (PPI). The participants also reported their age, gender, grade, years of sport participation and sport status (NSSA, MSA, SSSA). SSSA reported significantly more enjoyment in all subscales except PPI when compared to NSSA (p<0.05; ES 0.4 – 0.99). MSA and SSSA showed significant differences in the subscales of SRC and EE; however, effect size was small (0.37 and 0.33, respectively). Overall scores for intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were significantly lower among NSSA compared to MSA and SSSA (p<0.01) with no differences between MSA and SSSA (p>0.05). Results revealed no significant differences in the SEYSQ’s subscales for age (p>0.05). Within the parameters of this study, adolescents that specialize in a single sport or those who compete in multiple sport both rely on intrinsic and extrinsic sources of enjoyment for motivation in very similar ways; whereas adolescent NSSA are less motivated and experience less enjoyment from sport participation compared to MSA and SSSA. Keywords: adolescent, enjoyment, SEYSQ, motivation, sport psychology


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric G. Post ◽  
Kevin M. Biese ◽  
Daniel A. Schaefer ◽  
Andrew M. Watson ◽  
Timothy A. McGuine ◽  
...  

Background: Significant evidence has emerged that sport specialization is associated with an increased risk of overuse injury in youth athletes. Several recommendations exist to reduce the risk of overuse injury in youth sports, but the risk of overuse injuries may be dependent on specific movements required by a given sport. Hypotheses: Associations between specialized sport participation and overuse injury will exist in volleyball athletes but not soccer or basketball athletes. Female athletes will be more likely to report an overuse injury in the previous year, regardless of sport. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: Youth athletes between the ages of 12 and 18 years were recruited in-person at club team tournaments, competitions, and events around the state of Wisconsin during the 2016-2017 school year. Participants were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire that consisted of (1) participant demographics, (2) sport specialization status, (3) monthly and weekly sport volume, and (4) sport-related injury history in the previous year. Results: A total of 716 youth athletes completed the questionnaire (70.8% female; mean age, 14.21 ± 1.50 years; 43.2% basketball, 19.4% soccer, 37.4% volleyball; 41.8% highly specialized; 32.3% reported overuse injury in the previous year). Sex was associated with overuse injury among basketball athletes, with female basketball athletes nearly 4 times more likely to report an overuse injury compared with male basketball athletes (odds ratio, [OR], 3.7; 95% CI, 2.1-6.6; P < 0.001). High specialization (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1-4.9; P = 0.02) and participating in a single sport for more than 8 months per year (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5; P < 0.05) were associated with overuse injury only among volleyball athletes. Conclusion: Specialization and exceeding 8 months per year in a single sport was associated with overuse injury in volleyball, which is one of the most popular youth sports for female athletes. Specialization was not associated with overuse injury in basketball or soccer athletes. Female basketball athletes were nearly 4 times more likely to report a history of overuse injury compared with male basketball athletes. The sex of a youth athlete and the sport that he or she plays may influence the risk of overuse injury associated with sport specialization. Clinical Relevance: Youth athletes, parents, and clinicians should be aware that the potential risks of specialization might vary based on the athlete’s sport and sex.


2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nouf M. AlKusayer ◽  
William K. Midodzi ◽  
Leigh Anne Newhook ◽  
Lorraine Burrage ◽  
Nicole Gill ◽  
...  

Background: The 17-item Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) has been widely used to assess maternal attitudes toward infant feeding and to predict breastfeeding intention. The IIFAS has been validated among prenatal women located in Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, although its length may prove challenging to complete in a clinical setting. Research aim: The authors aimed to reduce the number of items from the original 17-item IIFAS scale while maintaining reliability and validity. Methods: A nonexperimental cross-sectional design was used among 1,283 women in their third trimester residing in Newfoundland and Labrador. Data were collected from August 2011 to June 2016. An exploratory factor analysis using principal component analysis was performed to explore the underlying structure of the IIFAS. The internal consistency of both the 17-item and reduced version was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and item-total correlation. The area under the curve and linear regression model were used to assess predictive validity of intention to breastfeed. Results: Our findings revealed that a 13-item IIFAS (Cronbach’s α = .870) had relatively similar internal consistency to the original IIFAS (Cronbach’s α = .868). Three themes were extracted from the factor analysis, resulting in the removal of four items. The reduced scale demonstrated an excellent ability to predict breastfeeding intention (area under the curve = 0.914). Conclusion: The reduced 13-item version of the IIFAS is a psychometrically sound instrument that maintains its accuracy and validity when measuring maternal feeding attitudes during pregnancy and can be more time efficient in clinical settings compared with the 17-item IIFAS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967121S0009
Author(s):  
Amanda Arnold ◽  
Ryan Zarzycki ◽  
Mathew Failla

Background: Two billion U.S. healthcare dollars are spent on youth sports injuries each year. This staggering figure is projected to increase as athletes are sustaining more sport-related injuries and are specializing in a single sport at younger ages than ever before. Sport specialization is a modifiable injury risk factor unique to youth athlete populations. Parents are a group of key stakeholders whose knowledge and beliefs likely impact youth sport participation, however a paucity of research exists in this area. Purpose: To assess the differences in perceptions of parents on youth sport participation and specialization based on geographical region. Methods: Parents of children, ages 8-18 years, who participate in organized sports were surveyed for this study. Electronic surveys with a total of 40 questions were circulated via team/organization mailing lists and social media. Geographic regions were described as either South or North based on divisions from the U.S. Census Bureau. Sport specialization was defined as an athlete meeting >2 of the following 3 criteria: participates in one sport to the exclusion of other sports, participates in sport-specific lessons, participates on >2 teams in a single sport. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were used to compare perceptions of parents with specialized and non-specialized athletes across different geographical regions. Results: Three-hundred and seventy-one responses were collected (South=204, North=167). Parents from the South reported a higher number of specialized athletes as compared to parents from the North (54% vs 38%; P=0.003). Regardless of geographical region, most parents did not think specialization had a positive impact on a youth athlete’s development ( P=0.307) or their future in that sport ( P=0.086) (Figures 1 & 2). Parents from the South did select ‘Potential to earn a college scholarship’ as a motivator for youth sport specialization more often when compared to parents from the North (30% vs 17%; P=0.002). Conclusion: Regional differences exist in the percentage of specialized youth athletes participating in organized sport. Parental knowledge of the risks and benefits of youth sport specialization does not appear to drive these observed differences. Earning a college scholarship was selected more frequently as a reason for specialization in the South, indicating that societal or socioeconomic factors may be present. Further research is needed to determine the underlying factors driving youth sport specialization in the U.S. Figures: [Figure: see text][Figure: see text] References: Bell DR PE, Trigsted SM, Hetzel S, McGuine TA and Brooks MA. Prevalence of Sport Specialization in High School Athletics: A 1-Year Observational Study. Am J Sports Med. 2016;44(6):1469-1474. Bell DR, Post EG, Trigsted SM, Schaefer DA, McGuine TA, Brooks MA. Parents’ Awareness and Perceptions of Sport Specialization and Injury Prevention Recommendations. Clin J Sport Med. 2018. Brooks MA, Post EG, Trigsted SM, et al. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Youth Club Athletes Toward Sport Specialization and Sport Participation. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(5). Gregory S. How Kids’ Sports became a $15 Billion Industry. TIME. 2017;190(9). Jayanthi NA, LaBella CR, Fischer D, Pasulka J, Dugas LR. Sports-specialized intensive training and the risk of injury in young athletes: a clinical case-control study. Am J Sports Med. 2015;43(4):794-801. LaPrade RF, Agel J, Baker J, et al. AOSSM Early Sport Specialization Consensus Statement. Orthop J Sports Med. 2016;4(4). Malina RM. Early sport specialization: roots, effectiveness, risks. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2010;9(6):364-371. McGuine TA, Post EG, Hetzel SJ, Brooks MA, Trigsted S, Bell DR. A Prospective Study on the Effect of Sport Specialization on Lower Extremity Injury Rates in High School Athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2017;45(12): 2706-2712. Myer GD, Jayanthi N, Difiori JP, et al. Sport Specialization, Part I: Does Early Sports Specialization Increase Negative Outcomes and Reduce the Opportunity for Success in Young Athletes? Sports Health.2015;7(5):437-442. Pasulka J, Jayanthi N, McCann A, Dugas LR, LaBella C. Specialization patterns across various youth sports and relationship to injury risk. Phys Sportsmed. 2017;45(3):344-352. Post EG, Trigsted SM, Riekena JW, et al. The Association of Sport Specialization and Training Volume With Injury History in Youth Athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2017;45(6):1405-1412. U.S. Census Bureau. Census Bureau Regions and Divisions with State FIPS Codes. https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdf . Accessed June 26, 2020.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-104
Author(s):  
Jordan Taylor Bakhsh ◽  
Luke R. Potwarka ◽  
Ryan Snelgrove

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects that exposure to a youth day event at an elite sport competition has on youth spectators’ motivations to participate in the sport on display. Design/methodology/approach The paper was underpinned by the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Pre- and post-event questionnaires were administered to local grade seven and eight students (n=318) as part of a youth day event at the 2016 Milton International Track Cycling Challenge in Ontario, Canada. Questionnaires assessed each TPB construct one week before the youth day and immediately following the event. Findings The paper provides empirical insights about the shifts from pre- to post-event behavioral antecedent measures. Results suggest youth day events can be effective at driving positive shifts in participation intention and subjective norm among youth populations. Research limitations/implications A control group was not possible as an ethical limitation was created from the school boards which did not allow for some students/classes within the study to not experience the event. Researchers are encouraged to develop a study which allows for a youth control group and assesses the shift in behavioral antecedents at multiple time points post-event. Practical implications The paper includes implications for how to leverage subjective norms as a means of motivating post-event participation. Originality/value The paper fulfils a methodological gap to move beyond cross-sectional data and employ pre-post event research designs to measure the effect spectating an elite sport competition can have on youth’s motivation to participate in the sport on display.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmine Leby Lau ◽  
Ahmad Hariza Hashim ◽  
Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah ◽  
Azizah Salim Syed Salim

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensionality of the environmental concern scale (NEP) and to understand the environmental worldviews of Malaysian project managers. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was conducted among developer organisations registered with Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia in Klang Valley. Response was obtained from project managers and the final sample collected was 87 cases, representing a response rate of 24.5 per cent. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation was conducted to investigate the underlying structure of the NEP items while frequency distribution for the data set was used to gauge the environmental worldviews of the respondents. In addition, face-to-face interviews were carried out to gather more information to complements the findings of quantitative analyses. Findings Five factors were extracted but due to heavy cross-loadings, two items from the original scale were dropped, reducing it to be a 13-item scale. The four factors retained explained 61.6 per cent of the variance and were duly named Human over nature, ecocrisis, rights of nature and limits of growth. High scores on both pro-NEP and pro-dominant social paradigm items revealed the co-existence of both ecological and utilitarian view of the environment among project managers. Similar outcome was obtained from interviews with project managers where they indicated efforts in finding compatibility between protecting the environment and exploiting natural resources for development. Research limitations/implications The sample was restricted to housing developers in Klang Valley, thus the findings cannot be generalised to all developer organisations or other construction occupational groups. Practical implications This research supported the multidimensionality claim of the environmental scale (NEP) where four distinctive dimensions were identified. The usage of individual subscales in understanding environmental beliefs may reveal interesting patterns in that each dimension could have positive and negative connotations on human behaviours. In addition, the co-existence of both an ecological and a utilitarian view of the environment revealed that these worldviews align well with sustainable development principles. Originality/value This study is one of the few local studies that attempt to understand the environmental worldviews of project managers.


2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leisha Strachan ◽  
Jean Côté ◽  
Janice Deakin

The purpose of the current study was to examine two different trajectories of sport participation and explore any similarities or differences that may result regarding personal development and sport outcomes. Seventy-four youth athletes (40 “specializers” and 34 “samplers”) were recruited for the current study and four measures were employed to assess sport experiences and outcomes. Discriminant function analyses revealed no differences between groups in asset possession or sources of enjoyment however, differences were reported in sport experiences and burnout. The “samplers” reported more experiences regarding the integration of sport and family as well as linkages to the community. Although the “specializers” reported higher levels of physical/emotional exhaustion than did the “samplers,” they also reported more experiences related to diverse peer groups. The differences highlight the importance of examining specific pathways of development in sport to gain a deeper understanding of youths’ experiences in sport.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 232596711876983 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Alison Brooks ◽  
Eric G. Post ◽  
Stephanie M. Trigsted ◽  
Daniel A. Schaefer ◽  
Daniel M. Wichman ◽  
...  

Background: There are a variety of proposed motivations for sport specialization, such as improving sport skills to an elite level, making all-star or travel teams, or receiving a scholarship or professional contract. However, there has not been a quantitative examination of the attitudes and beliefs that may be contributing to the trend of sport specialization and year-round sport participation. Purpose: The primary aim was to describe the attitudes and beliefs of youth club sport athletes regarding sport specialization and sport participation. A secondary objective was to investigate whether an association exists between the level of sport specialization and the belief in receiving a college scholarship. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 974 youth athletes (578 female; mean age, 14.2 ± 1.6 years) completed an anonymous questionnaire that focused on attitudes and beliefs toward sport specialization and sport participation. Questions were developed utilizing the feedback of a panel of content area experts and the University of Wisconsin Survey Center. Data were summarized using frequencies, proportions (%), and means ± SDs. Results: Fewer than half of all athletes (45.8%) believed that specialization increased their chances of getting injured either “quite a bit” or “a great deal.” However, 91% of athletes believed that specialization increased their chances of getting better at their sport either “quite a bit” or “a great deal.” Similarly, the majority of athletes believed that specialization increased their chances of making their high school team (80.9%) or a college team (66.9%) either “quite a bit” or “a great deal.” Overall, 15.7% of athletes believed that they were either “very” or “extremely” likely to receive a college scholarship based on athletic performance. Highly specialized athletes were nearly twice as likely to have a high belief in receiving a college scholarship compared with low-specialization athletes (20.2% vs 10.2%, respectively; χ2 = 18.8; P = .001). Conclusion: Most youth athletes in this study believe that specialization increases their sport performance and ability to make not only a college team but also their high school team. Highly specialized athletes were more likely to believe that they will receive a college scholarship.


Author(s):  
Milena Morano ◽  
Laura Bortoli ◽  
Montse C. Ruiz ◽  
Claudio Robazza

Sport participation in youngsters has been associated with long-lasting psychosocial and health-related benefits as well as increased levels of physical exercise in adulthood. The objective of this study was to examine some psychological factors of fundamental importance in enhancing sport participation and preventing burnout. A sample of 520 girls and boys aged 13–18 years, practicing individual or team sports, took part in a cross-sectional study to assess basic psychological need satisfaction, psychobiosocial states, and burnout symptoms. The specific purpose was to examine the mediation effects of emotion-related (i.e., functional/dysfunctional) psychobiosocial states on the relationship between basic psychological need satisfaction (i.e., autonomy-choice, competence, and relatedness) and burnout symptoms (i.e., emotional/physical exhaustion, a reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation). Competence need satisfaction was found to be the most influential variable, with direct and indirect effects on burnout components, in particular, on a reduced sense of sport accomplishment. Overall, findings support the usefulness of investigating psychobiosocial states in youth sport and indicate that functional psychobiosocial states, as consequences of environmental motivational aspects, can have a significant effect on contrasting burnout symptoms.


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