School Sport Participation Research Articles

Correlates of school sport participation: A cross-sectional study in urban Portuguese students

Summary Objective To identify the correlate associated with boys’ and girls’ participation in school sports. Methods and subjects A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2617 Portuguese students (1336 boys, 1281 girls), aged 10–18 years old (15.3 ± 2.5). A questionnaire was used to collect data. Age, body mass index, physical activity, goal orientation, perceptions, attitudes and importance of being popular at school were evaluated as potential correlates of school sports. Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses were applied. Results For boys, participating in organized physical activity and attitude towards physical activity were associated with participating in school sports. For girls, a positive association was found between participating in school sports and age, the practice of organized physical activity, attitude towards PE and the importance attributed to being popular. Conclusions Organized physical activity, attitudes and importance of being popular were variables associated with school sports participation when all variables were considered in the analysis. Socioeconomic status is not a significant predictor of school sports participation, meaning that in school settings, all students can have the same opportunities to practice physical activity.

Screening for Sudden Cardiac Death Before Participation in High School and Collegiate Sports

The College’s Current Position The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) supports an evaluation prior to participating in high school and collegiate sports using a standardized history and physical (HP Table 1). ACPM recommends against routine screening for potential sudden cardiac death (SCD) with electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, and genetic testing in individuals without personal risk factors. The recommendations by ACPM address only mass screening approaches to detecting SCD and are not targeted toward individuals who may be identified by their healthcare provider as “above average” risk who may benefit from additional testing with the modalities mentioned above. ACPM supports the adoption of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Working Group research agenda to evaluate the effectiveness of any screening program in reducing SCD, its cost–benefit ratio, and its impact on health outcomes (Table 2). The full-length version of the current article can be found on the ACPM website (www.acpm.org/?page=Policy_Statement).

SAT0482 Overweight Prevalence in Children and Adolescents with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in Dependence on Health and Lifestyle Aspects

BackgroundOverweight is a serious problem of relevance to health policy. Patients with chronic diseases might be a risk group. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) leads to functional restrictions limiting physical activity...

Why Female Athletes Remain on Sport’s Periphery

In this commentary, Karen Crouse, a sports reporter who is the full-time golf writer for the New York Times, reflects on key issues that underlie the Cooky, Messner, and Hextrum article “Women Play Sport, But Not on TV: A Longitudinal Study of Televised News Media.” Crouse comments on the continued paucity of coverage for women’s sports, not only in traditional media but in today’s multimedia world. She observes, some 40 years after the passage of Title IX and significant advances in girls’ participation in high school sports, that women’s sports are infrequently covered by televised news media and, when coverage does occur, that women’s sports are devalued with female athletes often sexually objectified or trivialized. Using the example of Se Ri Pak in South Korea, Crouse suggests ways that sporting audiences can demand and facilitate change by seeing sport through the eyes of the increasing numbers of girls participating in sports who believe their achievements matter and are deserving of more parity in sports coverage.

Patient‐reported outcomes of 182 adults with severe haemophilia in Germany comparing prophylactic vs. on‐demand replacement therapy

Clotting factor replacement therapy has a major impact on the quality of life in patients with haemophilia. To analyse and compare the outcomes of on-demand and prophylactic treatment regimens in child- and adulthood, a self-evaluation questionnaire was sent to 182 patients over 30 years of age with severe haemophilia A or B. Analysis of the questionnaire results revealed that most study participants had been treated on-demand in childhood, but that the majority of these patients subsequently switched to prophylaxis. However, of those patients who began with prophylaxis as children, the vast majority maintained prophylactic treatment as adults. Inhibitor development was reported significantly more frequently by patients who started with on-demand treatment than by those who started with prophylaxis. In the year prior to completing the questionnaire, adults with severe haemophilia who received prophylactic treatment reported a significantly lower incidence of bleeding as a result of more frequent factor consumption. These results are in close accordance with published prospective data. Although nearly all patients with severe haemophilia had joint pain due to bleeding, those who had always had prophylactic treatment reported superior outcomes in terms of the need for joint replacement, walking speed and distance, participation in school sports and further education. These data clearly underline the superiority of prophylactic treatment for the majority of individuals with severe haemophilia. The worst outcomes were found in those treated on-demand in childhood who later switched to prophylaxis. In contrast to most studies which have compared treatment regimens on the basis of data from healthcare professionals, this study reflects treatment outcomes from the patient's perspective.

School Sport and Academic Achievement

Physical Education and School Sport (PESS) is an integral part of the school curriculum in Ireland. Historically the "Healthy Body, Healthy Mind" philosophy has promoted the inclusion of PESS alongside more cognitive school subjects. Research suggests that PESS can promote cognitive function and provide educational benefits. However, there is little research on how the choice of school sport influences academic achievement. This study investigated how participation in school sport influences the Leaving Certificate points score in an Irish secondary school. In particular, the study will investigate how the particular sport chosen by students participating in school sport during their Leaving Certificate years influences their Leaving Certificate results. We recorded the Leaving Certificate scores and sports participation from 402 boys graduating from a secondary school in the Ireland during 2008-2011. Sports participation was assigned 1 of 4 categories: rugby, rowing, soccer, and no sport. Participation in sports during the Leaving Certificate years conferred a 25.4-point benefit to the final Leaving Certificate score. However, participation in rowing, the only individual sport available in the study, resulted in significantly higher Leaving Certificate scores than rugby, soccer and no sport (p < .05), conferring an additional 73.4-point benefit over the next highest group, rugby. Promoting participation in school sport and providing access to a range of team and individual sports throughout the secondary school years may be a beneficial way to improve students' Leaving Certificate results.

Perceived influence of power shortage and release of radiation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake on physical activity participation

The Toronto Charter for Physical Activity (2010) and several ational physical activity plans advocate sports participation as an mportant part of population targeted physical activity for youth. merging research evidence also suggests that sport participation n youth is linked to significant positive correlationswith academic nd behavioural performance. The purpose of this study was to ompare academic and behavioural performance between male nd female public school athletes (Total N=11,139; 38% Female) nd non-athletes (Total N=23,891; 52% Female) in a convenient, thnicity diverse, sample (grades 7–12) from the state of Texas USA). Methods:We examined the passing rates of individual athletes nd non-athletes on standardized tests (Texas Essential Knowledge nd Skills, TEKS) for math, language arts, reading, writing, science, nd social studies. We also examined the percentage of athletes nd non-athletes for being “at risk,” for dropping out of school nd for the total average number of disciplinary actions. All data ere collected from Texas school districts (N=7) with the help of eaders from the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA). nstitutional ReviewBoard approval fromTexas StateUniversity for uman subjects research was acquired prior to data analyses. Results: It was estimated that athletes were physically active t moderateto vigorousintensities for a minimum of 8hours er week (state practice rule limitations) and that they were ore physically active than non-athletes. Assumptionswere based n the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth ehaviour Risk Surveillance System (YRBS) 2009 data for high chool youth in Texas, which showed that 41.2% did not play on ports teams, and only 53.4% were active at least 60minutes per ay for less than 5 days. Chi-Square statistical analyses comparing thletes to non-athletes showed that athletes scored significantly etter (p <0.05) on all standardized tests compared to non-athletes passing rate ranges ranged from 77.1% to 92.9% versus 27.7% to 6.5% respectively). Athletes were at lower risk for dropout comared to non-athletes (35.6% versus 49.24%; p<0.05), and they had ewerdisciplinaryactions (meanof0.85perathletesperyearversus .23 for non-athletes; p <0.05). Discussion: Our results support the research findings of othrs that participation in school sports is positively correlated to etter academic and behavioural performances for athletes comared to non-athletes. Further studies are warranted to determine f there are causal associations between academic and behavioural erformances between athletes and non-athletes.

Symptoms and treatment of menorraghia in adolescent girls

The onset of menarche can be a difficult time for adolescent girls. Menorraghia is a condition consisting of excessive menstrual bleeding over an extended period of time. Although rarely life-threatening, the condition can affect quality of life and participation in school activities and sport. School nurses can play an important role in providing information and advice on the condition. This article is part of a series looking at male and female puberty issues, it provides an overview of menorraghia, including prevalence, symptoms and treatment.

A Sex Difference in the Predisposition for Physical Competition: Males Play Sports Much More than Females Even in the Contemporary U.S

Much evidence indicates that men experienced an evolutionary history of physical competition, both one-on-one and in coalitions. We thus hypothesized that, compared to girls and women, boys and men will possess a greater motivational predisposition to be interested in sports, especially team sports. According to most scholars, advocacy groups, and the United States courts, however, this hypothesis is challenged by modest sex differences in organized school sports participation in the contemporary U.S., where females comprise 42% of high school participants and 43% of intercollegiate participants. We conducted three studies to test whether organized school sports participation data underestimate the actual sex difference in sports participation. Study 1 analyzed the American Time Use Survey, which interviewed 112,000 individuals regarding their activities during one day. Females accounted for 51% of exercise (i.e., non-competitive) participations, 24% of total sports participations, and 20% of team sports participations. These sex differences were similar for older and younger age groups. Study 2 was based on systematic observations of sports and exercise at 41 public parks in four states. Females accounted for 37% of exercise participations, 19% of individual sports participations, and 10% of team sports participations. Study 3 involved surveying colleges and universities about intramural sports, which primarily consist of undergraduate participation in team sports. Across 34 institutions, females accounted for 26% of registrations. Nine institutions provided historical data, and these did not indicate that the sex difference is diminishing. Therefore, although efforts to ensure more equitable access to sports in the U.S. (i.e., Title IX) have produced many benefits, patterns of sports participation do not challenge the hypothesis of a large sex difference in interest and participation in physical competition.

College-Going Benefits of High School Sports Participation: Race and Gender Differences over Three Decades.

The long touted athlete advantage in college enrollment has been tempered by assertions that this advantage is actually due to characteristics that precede participation. Moreover, it remains unclear whether the benefits of sports extend into contemporary times, and apply equally to female and racial minority athletes. This study uses three nationally representative longitudinal datasets of students who were 10th graders in 1980, 1990, and 2002. We find that high school sports participation was positively associated with college enrollment, even with the utilization of propensity score modeling, for white boys and girls, black boys, and Latino boys and girls during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. The most important gender and race differences include black female athletes' college-going disadvantage in the 1980s and 1990s, and girls' persistently lower rates of high school sports participation than boys'.

School Sport Participation Under Two School Sport Policies: Comparisons by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status

School-based extracurricular sport remains an effective strategy to increase physical activity. However, school sport is often limited to a small number of elite athletes. Few schools provide more inclusive sport programs that offer a wider array of activities regardless of ability. The aim of this study was to examine school sport participation in middle schools (ages 11-14) with contrasting school sport delivery strategies (intramural vs. interscholastic). Data were obtained through an online survey administered to students at four public middle schools (grades 6-8) in a southeastern US city (n = 2,582). More students participated in school sports at intramural schools. Boys were more likely to participate in after-school sports at intramural schools. Low-income and Black children, two groups at greater risk of physical inactivity and other negative outcomes, had greater participation in intramural programs. After-school intramural sports in middle school is a promising strategy for increasing sport participation.

The Sports Participation Effect on Educational Attainment of Black Males

The purpose of this study is to explore the direct, indirect, and total effects of high school sports participation on educational attainment for Black males using the Educational Longitudinal Study (2002/2006), a large, nationally representative, database. A path analysis procedure for determining underlying causal relationships between variables is presented. Although the implications of the results of this study are relevant for all who work with this population, school counselors are specifically highlighted.

Determinants of middle school sport participation: a comparison of different models for school sport delivery

Different models of school sport delivery, such as intramurals (IM), may attract students who are less skilled or less interested in traditional varsity sports (VS). The purpose of this study was to examine whether school sport delivery models (IM or VS) differentially influence middle school students’ motivations to participate in school sports. Using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as a conceptual framework, participants in school sponsored sport programs (n = 2,021) from four middle schools (2 IM; 2 VS) completed a school sport participation questionnaire at the beginning and end of a school year. Results suggest that intentions to participate in sport either increase or are maintained through participation in school sports, and the intentions of non-participants decrease over time. A singular model of school sport that only includes highly competitive varsity sports may limit opportunities for children to play sport and diminish their intentions for enduring sport participation.

Self-perception and participation in school sports

The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between students' participation in school sports (SS) and their self-perception. A total of 2535 students (1290 boys, 1245 girls) aged...

Incidence of Injuries in High School Softball and Baseball Players

Participation in high school sports has grown 16.1% over the last decade, but few studies have compared the overall injury risks in girls' softball and boys' baseball. To examine the incidence of injury in high school softball and baseball players. Cohort study. Greenville, South Carolina, high schools. Softball and baseball players (n = 247) from 11 high schools. Injury rates, locations, types; initial or subsequent injury; practice or game setting; positions played; seasonal trends. The overall incidence injury rate was 4.5/1000 athlete-exposures (AEs), with more injuries overall in softball players (5.6/1000 AEs) than in baseball players (4.0/1000 AEs). Baseball players had a higher initial injury rate (75.9/1000 AEs) than softball players (66.4/1000 AEs): rate ratio (RR) = 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.4, 1.7. The initial injury rate was higher than the subsequent injury rate for the overall sample (P < .0001) and for softball (P < .0001) and baseball (P < .001) players. For both sports, the injury rate during games (4.6/1000 AEs) was similar to that during practices (4.1/1000 AEs), RR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.7, 2.2. Softball players were more likely to be injured in a game than were baseball players (RR = 1.92, 95% CI = 0.8, 4.3). Most injuries (77%) were mild (3.5/1000 AEs). The upper extremity accounted for the highest proportion of injuries (63.3%). The incidence of injury for pitchers was 37.3% and for position players was 15.3%. The rate of injury was highest during the first month of the season (7.96/1000 AEs). The incidence of injury was low for both softball and baseball. Most injuries were minor and affected the upper extremity. The injury rates were highest in the first month of the season, so prevention strategies should be focused on minimizing injuries and monitoring players early in the season.

Participation in Interscholastic and Intramural Sport Programs in Middle Schools: An Exploratory Investigation of Race and Gender

Although school-sponsored extracurricular sport remains one of the most popular and effective ways to increase adolescents' physical activity levels, it is designed to include a small number of a school's elite athletes. Fewer schools offer intramural sports, and little is known about participation in these activities. The purpose of this study is to compare variations in how students participate in interscholastic and intramural school sport programs. Using a sample of seventh and eighth graders in two southeastern middle schools, results indicated that school sport participation levels were higher in intramurals than interscholastic sports for all studied categories of students except for White girls. In addition, students participating in intramural sports played nearly twice as many sports during the school year as students participating in interscholastic sports. Gender and race differences in school sport participation both confirm and contradict previous research and suggest that schools should consider cultural factors when planning sport programs for diverse populations of young people.

The attitudes and opinions of high school sports participants: an exploratory empirical examination

Sport scholars and public commentators have long held both positive and critical opinions about the influence of athletic involvement on participants and their perceptions of the social world. Yet for all of the strong claims and deeply held assumptions, relatively little empirical data or social scientific analysis have been available. This study begins to address this deficiency using new data from a nationally representative survey of American high school students. We compare sports participants and their peers in terms of concern for social problems, interracial contact and attitudes, views of gender roles and sex-based discrimination and political orientation. We find participants and non-participants differ very little in their social concern and views of gender roles and sex-based discrimination, while significant differences were found in levels of interracial contact, views on race relations and political orientation. In view of these findings, we make some general conclusions about the social influence of sport in the lives of American youth and how this topic may be further explored in subsequent work.

Predictors of neck pain among South African youth

Globally, adolescent neck pain has not been identified as a widespread problem. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain is rising among adolescents, possibly as a result of repetitive movements and static postures associated with increased use of computers. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of, and factors predicting neck pain in learners attending high schools in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. The Computer Usage Questionnaire which investigated the prevalence of neck pain, as well as the use of computers, involvement in sports activities and psychological factors were used to collect data in conjunction with the neck flexor muscle endurance test. Associations between variables were conducted using the Chi-square test and crude odds ratio in the univariate core, while logistic regression was employed in the analysis to identify predisposing factors. The study sample included 181 learners made up of 97 males (53.6%) and 84 females (46.4%). The mean age of the participants was 16± 1.10 years. The neck pain prevalence was 53.6%. School computer use (p= 0.4) and sport participation (p=0.09) were not significant predisposing factors. However, computer use outside of school (p=0.03) and neck flexor muscle endurance (p= 0.00) were significant predisposing factors to neck pain. The results of the study highlight the need to incorporate education about postural care specifically among adolescents who are engaging more frequently with information technology leading to increased computer usage.Keywords: Neck pain, prevalence, adolescents, physical activity, computer use, neck flexor, muscle endurance.

Adolescents and school sport: the relationship between beliefs, social support and physical self-perception

Background: Physical activity declines during adolescence and strategies to combat this occurrence are both educational and public health priorities. Schools have been identified as central institutions for the promotion of physical activity among youth. While physical education is considered to be the major vehicle for physical activity promotion in the school setting, school sport provides another important opportunity to engage youth in physical activity. Little is known about students' beliefs about the value of school sport. Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to explore the relationship between students' beliefs about school sport, social support received during school sport and physical self-esteem in adolescents. Participants and setting: The sample included 249 adolescents (126 boys and 123 girls) from 10 secondary schools in New South Wales, Australia. The mean age of students was 14.1 (± 1.6) years. Research design: Cross-sectional. Data collection and analysis: Participants completed a detailed questionnaire assessing participation in school sport, school sport beliefs, perceived social support for school sport and physical self-esteem using the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP). Independent samples t-tests were used to examine gender and age differences and hierarchical regression was used to determine the relationship between students' school sport beliefs, social support received during school sport and physical self-esteem. Separate analyses were conducted for boys and girls. Findings: Both boys and girls considered school sport an important opportunity to be physically active. Students believed ‘enjoyment’ and selecting activities with their friends were the most important reasons for selecting school sport activities. Boys reported significantly higher levels of perceived physical strength (F = 1.58, p < 0.05), sport competence (F = 0.28, p < 0.001), physical condition (F = 0.36, p < 0.01), body attractiveness (F = 1.76, p < 0.01), and physical self-worth (F = 3.32, p < 0.05). The model predicting boys' beliefs about school sport explained 17% of the variance (F = 4.08, p < 0.01) and the only statistically significant predictor was school sport social support (β = 0.25, p < 0.01). Similarly, school sport social support (β = 0.31, p < 0.01) was also the only significant predictor in the girls' model which accounted for 28% of the variance in school sport beliefs (F = 6.46, p < 0.001). Discussion: Students who recognised the value of school sport also reported higher levels of social support for school sport. School sport is an ideal opportunity for the promotion of physical activity and programs may be improved with increased diversity and choice for students. Furthermore, higher levels of teacher support and modelling may contribute to improved student outcomes for school sport programs.

Examining Participation in School Sports and Patterns of Delinquency Using The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

This project seeks to identify what factors can account for patterns of delinquency, with special attention given to the role of organized sports. We used The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a school-based sample of adolescents collected for the purpose of measuring the impact of social environment on adolescent health and social behaviors. The framework for this study rests on the social bond theory of delinquent behavior and social psychology of sports research. We hypothesize that organized sports participation, as a measure of involvement, mitigates youthful delinquent outcomes, as do attachment to parents and friends. Our findings indicate that social bond theory is not sufficient to explain the relationship between sports and delinquency, and social psychological approaches provide some context for understanding outcomes and conceptualizing sport as a complex domain for both exerting and experiencing social control. Although some involvement with sports does not produce an increase in delinquency, being a highly involved athlete is generally associated with higher levels of delinquency. In important ways, family attachment buffers the relationship. These results have important policy implications for schools and families.