Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to analyse the relation between the number of hours of organized sports practice and self-concept, considered from a multidimensional approach (physical, emotional, academic, social and family self-concept). The relation between these variables as a function of gender was also investigated. Methods: We used a sample of 840 students from fifth and sixth grade of Elementary Education (494 boys and 346 girls), aged 9 to 12 years, from Spain. To assess the students’ self-concept, we used the AF-5 Self-Concept Form 5 questionnaire. Results: The results show that children who practice organized sport, present a better physical self-concept (0 h a day [h/d]: M = 5.20, SD = 1.82; 1 h/d: M = 5.90, SD = 1.82; 2 h/d: M = 5.99, SD = 1.56; 3 h/d: M = 6.00, SD = 1.42). Boys present a higher emotional self-concept than girls (p < 0.05). Moreover, children’s sports practice is beneficial for the academic and family self-concept but in the case of girls, a high number of hours of daily practice may be decreasing these potential benefits. Conclusions: The findings suggest that organized sports practice could have a positive effect on self-concept. We underline the importance of encourage children to practice sport and paying particular attention to gender differences in the development of the emotional self-concept during elementary education.
Highlights
The term self-concept is increasingly more important within the field of personality, both from an affective and an emotional perspective [1,2]
Regarding the distribution of the participants according to the number of hours a day (h/d) of sports practice and gender: 0 h/d: girls N = 114 (33%), boys N = 99 (20%); 1 h/d: girls N = 121 (35%), boys N = 163 (33%); 2 h/d: girls N = 80 (23%), boys N = 178 (36%); 3 h/d: girls N = 31 (9%), boys N = 54 (11%), there were gender differences, χ2(1, N = 420) = 22.356, p < 0.001, in the 0 h/d and 2 h/d groups of organized sports practice
The main goal of this study was to analyse the relationship between the hours of organized sports practice and self-concept from a multidimensional approach, observing, at the same time, the role played by gender in the relationship between these variables
Summary
The term self-concept is increasingly more important within the field of personality, both from an affective and an emotional perspective [1,2]. Between ages 6 and 12, children attend compulsory education, and, at this stage, socialization is promoted because children develop in the family environment, instead, they begin to get to know their peers, which allows them to relate to them through games, interactions and so forth Their participation in new situations and the link between affectivity and the environment will lead to the creation of the child’s personality [4]. The purpose of this study was to analyse the relation between the number of hours of organized sports practice and self-concept, considered from a multidimensional approach (physical, emotional, academic, social and family self-concept). The relation between these variables as a function of gender was investigated. We underline the importance of encourage children to practice sport and paying particular attention to gender differences in the development of the emotional self-concept during elementary education
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