A football helmet lies on the ground while members of the Floral Park High School football team practiced in the background for the 2015 season, on the morning of August 19, 2015 (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara / Newsday via Getty Images)
A new study examining the link between children’s participation in organized sports and their mental health has shown that those who participate in team sports are less likely to have mental health problems.
According to a study published in PLOS One, the researchers used data from more than 11,000 American children aged 9 to 13.
Parents and guardians gave self-assessments of their child’s mental health problems using a “child’s behavior checklist.” In addition, they were provided with a long list of activities (sports, music, hobbies) and were asked to state how much their child had participated in each of them during their lifetime.
Researchers found that participation in team sports compared to non-sports participation was associated with 10% lower scores on anxiety / depression, 19% lower scores on withdrawal / depression, 17% lower scores on social problems, 17% lower scores on mental problems and 12% lower scores for attention problems.
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In contrast, participation in individual sports compared to non-sports participation was associated with 16% higher scores of anxiety / depression, 14% higher scores of withdrawn / depressed, 12% higher scores of social problems and 14% higher scores of attention problems.
“It is possible that some children and adolescents who compete in individual sports experience significant stress associated with independent performance, which could contribute to mental health problems,” the study authors explained.
In addition, athletes who played team and individual sports did not have different mental health profiles compared to children and adolescents who did not play sports.
“The results show that participation in team sports was associated with fewer mental health difficulties, while individual participation in sports was associated with greater mental health difficulties,” the study authors continued. “The results suggest that [the] the type of sport can be a significant factor in the relationship between playing sports and mental health. “
Overall, there were fewer mental health problems among women compared to men, and among those who identified as black and Asians compared to those who identified as white.
“The results of this study, together with the findings of previous research, suggest that participation in organized team sports can be a useful medium through which to promote the mental health of children and adolescents,” the authors added. “Efforts to provide children and adolescents with affordable options to join organized out-of-school team sports leagues / clubs may require further attention, especially for families with socio-economic challenges.
A potential limitation noted by the researchers was the use of parents’ self-reports, noting that it is possible that parents who enroll their children in individual sports tend to overestimate problematic aspects of their children’s emotional behavior and behavior. Alternatively, they said that parents who register their children in team sports are also more likely to view their children in positive interaction with peers and therefore tend to underestimate any potential mental health difficulties.
Researchers said that additional research will be needed to determine to what extent and under what circumstances participation in individual sports can be problematic for adolescents.
In addition, the authors said future studies could be done to examine the link between sports and mental health among minority youth populations (such as LGBTQ adolescents) who may be at increased risk of mental health problems.
These findings complement previous research that suggests that participation in team sports may be a means of supporting the mental health of children and adolescents. But other studies have also linked youth participation in sports to negative outcomes such as anxiety and burnout.
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