Examining the Role of Life Skills in Mediating the Relationship between the Basic Psychological Needs and Subjective Well-Being of Taekwondo Student-Athletes

Various theories in the field of positive youth development (PYD) through sport argue that student athletes’ satisfaction with basic psychological needs, life skills development, and well-being are closely related to each other. This study identified the structural relationship among three basic psychological needs, life skills, and subjective well-being. Korean Taekwondo student athletes (N = 302, Mage = 17.67, range = 17–19) completed a survey evaluating basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), life skills (teamwork, goal setting, social skills, time management, and leadership), and subjective well-being (life satisfaction, positive/negative affect). Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, correlation, and the Structural Equation Model (SEM). The model’s goodness of fit was ?2/df = 2.78, TLI = 0.90, CFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.077 (95% CI = 0.70, 0.80), and SRMR = 0.085. The three basic psychological needs were positively related to life skills and subjective well-being. In addition, life skills had a mediation effect between the three basic psychological needs and subjective well-being. The interpretation of the results indicated that life skills development and well-being depend on basic psychological needs. Thus, coaches should encourage a PYD climate to satisfy their athletes’ psychological needs.

The Structural Relationship Among Perceived Positive and Negative Parenting Attitude, Life Skills, and Transfer of Chinese Student-Athletes

A parenting attitude is regarded as a very important factor influencing the positive development of student-athletes. However, there are far fewer studies on parenting attitude in sport PYD area. This study aimed to understand the relationship among the positive/negative parenting attitudes, life skills, and transfer. Participants were 257 Chinese student-athletes (male=171, female=86, Mage=15.70) in track and field, basketball, soccer, and taekwondo. Date were analyzed by using descriptive statistic, correlation, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). SEM analysis showed that parenting attitude was significantly related to life skills development and transfer. A positive parenting attitude had a positive effect on life skills and transfer, while a negative parenting attitude had a negative effect. Furthermore, positive and negative parenting attitudes indirectly affected life skills transfer by mediating life skills development. The findings of this study show that the role of parents determines the possibility of life skills development and transfer of Chinese student-athletes.

Leadership Life Skills Development in 4-H Teen Leadership Programs

This study introduces a framework for 4-H leadership competencies and explores the relationship between 4-H leadership programs and participant leadership life skills development. Illinois 4-H members aged 15-18 completed an online survey about their 4-H experiences and skills. Participants reported local programs exhibited the characteristics in the leadership competencies framework. Members participating in leadership competency programs reported higher leadership life skills scores than those in other 4-H non-leadership oriented programs. Females reported higher leadership life skills scores in comparison to males. However, spending more years in leadership programs was only related to a significant change in skills development for some participants.

Lesson Learned: Developing Life Skills in Youth for Reducing Inequality and Elevating the Quality of Life in Highland Rural School Dormitories of Omkoi District, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Background: Youth dormitory management in Thailand’s education system reveals evidence of discrimination. This is due to the high deviation in educational policy in aspects such as high cost or budget of educational management with dormitory provision in some programmes, when compared to the lower number of youth who receive the benefits of these programmes. Moreover, some programmes are not fair in the selection criteria and had the objectives that responded only to a specific group of population. Objective: The objectives of the study were to implement a group intervention programme in life skills development for youth in highland rural school dormitories of Omkoi District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Methods: This study used a qualitative research method to recruit and select 30 participants. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were used to collect data from the participants. The thematic analysis method was used for analysing the collected data. Results: The findings revealed three themes: 1. The result of analysing and synthesising the context, 2. the result of developing the model, and 3. the result of the life skills development activity programme for youth who lived in the school dormitories. Conclusion: Further studies would be required in order to compare the situation between rural and urban areas. Furthermore, youth life skills development programmes should be developed in the appropriate contexts. Moreover, the researcher must pay more attention to the society and culture of the target audience in order to achieve development that would be consistent with the area.

SPECIAL PROGRAM IN SPORTS ON THE LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT-ATHLETES

This study entitled Special Program in Sports on the Life Skills Development of student-athletes of Gov. Felicisimo T. San Luis Integrated Senior High School was conducted to specifically answer the following questions; What is the status of SPS student-athletes’ profile in terms of; Age; Gender; Grade Level; Sports Events; Training Hours; and Level Competition? What is the level of aspects of Life Skill Development in terms of; Behavioral; emotional; Mental; Physical; and Social? Does the Special Program in Sports affect the life skills development of the junior high school student-athletes of Gov. Felicimo T. San Luis Integrated Senior High School? The study utilized the descriptive method of research to determine the effect of Special Program in Sports on the Life Skills Development of student-athletes. The main source of data of this study was the survey questionnaire which was prepared by the researcher and statistically treated using simple descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and multiple regression to determine the significant effect of SPS on the life skills development of junior high school student-athletes. Letters were sent to the Schools Division of Laguna, for the permission and approval to conduct the study, and to the School Principal of Gov. Felicisimo T. San Luis Integrated Senior High School, for the distribution of questionnaires to the student-athletes. Self-made questionnaires were prepared and was checked and validated by the thesis adviser and panel members.

Life Skills Development Through Sport in Brazil: A Study Based on Self-Determination Theory

This study investigated whether a large sample of youth participants’ life skills development through sport was impacted by demographic variables and/or variables based on self-determination theory. Participants were 461 Brazilian youth sport (325 boys; 136 girls) aged 10–17 years ( Mage = 15.12, SD = 1.44). Participants completed a self-report research survey to assess demographic variables, coach autonomy support, basic need satisfaction, and sport motivation. We analyzed data using cluster analysis, a chi-square test and multivariate analysis of variance. We found that sport participants in the high life skills development cluster were older ( p = .007) and had more years of sport experience ( p = .032). Compared to the low life skills development cluster, sports participants in the high life skills development cluster displayed higher scores for coach’s autonomy support ( p = .001), autonomy satisfaction ( p = .002), competence satisfaction ( p = .001), relatedness satisfaction ( p = .001), and identified regulation ( p = .023). In practice, these findings indicate that coaches should seek to satisfy participants’ three basic psychological needs and encourage an identified regulation form of motivation when trying to promote participants’ life skills development through sport.