Sport

Abstract

Psychosocial aspects are factors that influence the psyche of the human being in development. Such aspects infer about the behavioral patterns of the individual, causing physical, cognitive and social changes throughout his life (Myers, 2012). One of the effective ways to experience these practices is the sport (Noble et al., 2014). PURPOSE: Identify the relationship between age and skills perceived by children assisted by a sports program. METHODS: The sample consisted of 50 children of a municipal sports center of Anápolis, who practiced sport twice a week at the school turn against for more than 6 months (30 boys and 20 girls), aged between 7 and 12 years old. The psychosocial aspects of children were assessed using the Brazilian version of the Self-Perception Profile for Children, validated by Valentini et al. (2010). The Brazilian version called Self Perception Child scale (SPCS) is configured in a questionnaire that assesses six specific areas of competence: cognitive skills, emotional skills, motor skills, physical appearance, behavioral conduct, in addition to the global self-worth. RESULTS: The children attending showed moderate levels of self perceived competence in the dimensions evaluated in the present study, by gender and age. Such skills are psychosocial aspects that can be influenced when compared to children who do not participate in sports programs. It was evident that the younger children, the lower the influence of the sports program on the skills perceived except in motor racing, which takes place from 9 years old. The sport seems to exert an influence on the self-perception skills (ie cognitive, social, motor and behavioral), especially when there is a longer practice. CONCLUSIONS: The skills perceived by children assisted by a sports program only are perceived as the children mature (i.e 11 and 12 years old). Younger children assisted by sports program have no perception of skills, as they only manifest as the action is performed for longer.