The impact of physical activity and sport programs on mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people experience significantly poorer mental, social and emotional health disparities compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts as a result of sustained disadvantage and intergenerational trauma. The relationship between physical activity and sport participation and positive mental and psychosocial health in young people is well established, yet little is known about this relationship in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. This review aims to address this gap by systematically identifying and assessing existing evidence of the impact of sport and physical activity programs on mental health and social and emotional wellbeing outcomes within young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The review also aims to highlight limitations of current practice within the research area. Methods: A systematic search of literature was undertaken on three peer-reviewed databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE and SPORTSDiscus) and grey literature until July 2020. Studies were included if they described a sport and physical activity program for young (10-24 years) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and reported mental health or social and emotional wellbeing outcomes. Results: Seventeen studies were selected for this review. Within these studies, the most commonly reported outcomes were related to psychosocial development (N = 12) and a sense of connectedness (N = 12). Mental illness related outcomes (N = 1) were rarely reported, as were substance use (N = 2) and social and emotional literacy (N = 1). Other promising outcomes included increased connection to culture, self-esteem and confidence. Nonetheless, due to indirectness, suboptimal study design, and risk of bias, the precise impact on these outcomes cannot be determined. Discussion: A relevant evidence base is emerging on the impact sport and physical activity programs have on the mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. However, further research that utilises robust, culturally appropriate methodologies and tools (e.g., participatory action research, body mapping and yarns) needs to be undertaken before the effects of sport and physical activity programs can reliably be discerned. Conflict of interest statement: My co-authors and I acknowledge that we have no conflict of interest relevant to the submission of this abstract.