Winner for Life: A three-year study of student-athletes' life skills development in a training programme for coaches and teachers.

Growing numbers of researchers have investigated how training programmes influence coaches' and teachers' ability to promote life skills development, and concurrently, athlete-related outcomes. This study aimed to examine high school student-athletes' development of life skills through a three-year programme called Winner for Life (Gagnant pour la vie). Delivered online to high school coaches and teachers, the programme targeted five life skills: (a) Goal Setting and Concentration (Year 1), (b) Healthy Eating Habits and Safety Behaviours (Year 2), and Physical and Mental Recovery (Year 3). In all, 148 student-athletes participated in the programme and completed questionnaires at five time points to assess life skills development. A general linear repeated measures model was used to assess changes over time. Missing data were handled using multiple imputations. Student-athletes reported higher scores on Goal Setting subscale at time 2 (vs. time 1) and time 3 (vs. time 2) and on Social Recovery subscale at time 2 (vs. time 1). They also reported lower scores on Sleep Quality subscale at time 3 (vs. time 2) and time 5 (vs. time 4). Additionally, a significant interaction was observed between student-athletes' age (mean = 13.5 years) at study start, and improvements on certain life skills subscales over time. Overall, the fact that student-athletes did not improve on all life skills could be explained by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, which limited the programme's influence from time 3. Results should be considered in light of limitations regarding gender distribution and ceiling effects on student-athletes' scores. Recommendations to improve future life skills programmes are discussed, such as involving parents in delivery and encouraging life skills teaching over time.

Proposing an ontological shift from intervention to intravention in sport and exercise psychology.

Intervention research entails the measurement of change in a situation or individual after a modification has been imposed. In sport and exercise psychology, interventions have been implemented in a variety of situations (e.g., performance, doping, physical activity, mental health) for a variety of individuals (e.g., athletes, coaches, sedentary people). Despite their widespread use, accruing evidence indicates that interventions in sport and exercise psychology have had less than anticipated success in instigating change. While some scholars have pointed to the need to confront the methodological challenges of intervention implementation, others have called for the creation of viable alternative forms of inquiry that can complement intervention research. The purpose of the present article is to propose an ontological shift from intervention to intravention in sport and exercise psychology. This shift is undertaken through the deployment of Barad's (2007) agential realist ontology. The paper is divided into six sections. First, the concept of interaction is situated as it forms the basis for how interventions are conducted. Second, the Baradian ontology of agential realism is explained, along with key concepts. Third, intravention is positioned in relation to five guiding principles that delineate the progression for conducting intravention inquiries. Fourth, alternate meanings are proposed for behaviour, change, and knowledge. Fifth, examples are provided as to how intravention inquiries can be deployed in sport and exercise psychology. Sixth, concluding thoughts are offered. As an ontological becoming of interventions, intraventions are situated as open-ended approaches to inquiry that can help researchers derive alternate understandings of existence and can take the psychology of sport and exercise in exciting and affirmative directions.

Positive youth development as a guiding framework in sport research: Is it time to plan for a transition?

Positive youth development is a popular guiding framework for studying the psychosocial development of youth. In sport research, for more than two decades, this framework has enhanced our understanding of the mechanisms involved in successful shifts from youth to adulthood. Nonetheless, scholars have recently taken a more critical stance on the positive youth development framework by elucidating some of its shortcomings. To help determine whether it may be warranted to plan for a transition from the positive youth development framework in sport research, a critical commentary is offered. The purpose of this commentary lies in situating three ontologically distinct arguments that depict the shortcomings of the positive youth development framework, namely the operationalization argument, the social justice argument, and the posthumanist argument. This paper is offered as an open invitation to instigate dialogue on what may come next for youth development in sport research and whether planning for a transition is warranted.

Psychosocial development and mental health in youth Brazilian club athletes: examining the effects of age, sport type, and training experience / Desenvolvimento psicossocial e saúde mental em jovens atletas: examinando os efeitos da idade, tipo de esporte e nível de experiência

Abstract Physical activity occurring through organized sport has been positioned as an engaging manner not only to prevent chronic-degenerative diseases but also to promote healthier societies. However, there is a lack of evidence linking competitive sport participation in the club environment in promoting youth athletes' psychosocial development and mental health. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the effects of age, sport type, and training experience on the psychosocial development and mental health of youth Brazilian club athletes. Participants were 220 male adolescent athletes (Mean =14.09 years; SD = 2.21) from individual and team sports. Instruments included the Portuguese Youth Experience Survey for Sport (P-YES-S) and the Portuguese Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (P-MHC-SF). Correlation and multilevel linear regression analyses were performed. The results indicated a moderated correlation between both questionnaires. For the P-YES-S, model effect estimations showed variation for age in the Personal and Social Skills dimension and variations for training experience in the Cognitive Skills and Negative Experiences dimensions. For the P-MHC-SF, model effect estimations showed variation for age in the Emotional Well Being dimension and variation for sport type in Social Well Being and Psychological Well Being dimensions. More research is needed to continue examining how characteristics of sport participation are related to psychosocial development and mental health.

Resumo A atividade física por meio do esporte organizado tem sido posicionada como uma ferramenta potencial não apenas para prevenir o acometimento de doenças crônico degenerativas, mas também para promover uma sociedade mais saudável. Contudo, ainda existe uma lacuna científica acerca da relação entre a participação no esporte competitivo no contexto de clubes e a promoção do desenvolvimento psicossocial e a saúde mental de jovens atletas. Assim, este estudo buscou analisar os efeitos da idade, tipo de esporte e nível de experiência no desenvolvimento psicossocial e na saúde mental de jovens atletas de um clube brasileiro. Os participantes foram 220 atletas adolescentes do sexo masculino (Média = 14,09 anos; DP = 2,21) de esportes individuais e coletivos. Os instrumentos incluíram o Questionário de Experiência Esportiva em Jovens - Português (P-YES-S) e o Contínuo de Saúde Mental - Short Form - Português (P-MHC-SF). Análises de correlação e regressão linear multinível foram realizadas. Os resultados indicaram uma correlação moderada entre os dois questionários. Para o P-YES-S, as estimativas do efeito do modelo mostraram variação para a idade na dimensão Habilidades Pessoais e Sociais e variações para o nível de experiência nas dimensões Habilidades Cognitivas e Experiências Negativas. Para o P-MHC-SF, as estimativas do efeito do modelo mostraram variação para a idade na dimensão Bem-estar Emocional e variação para o tipo de esporte nas dimensões Bem-Estar Social e Bem-Estar Psicológico. Mais pesquisas são necessárias para continuar examinando como as características da participação no esporte estão relacionadas ao desenvolvimento psicossocial e à saúde mental.

Sport-based youth development interventions in the United States: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The growing number of sport-based youth development interventions provide a potential avenue for integrating sport meaningfully into the U.S. public health agenda. However, efficacy and quality must be reliably established prior to widespread implementation. METHODS: A comprehensive search of databases, peer-reviewed journals, published reviews, and both published and unpublished documents yielded 10,077 distinct records. Title and abstract screening, followed by full-text screening using 6 criteria, resulted in 56 distinct studies (coalescing into 10 sport-based youth development intervention types) included in the synthesis. These studies were then independently assessed and critically appraised. RESULTS: Limited efficacy data were identified, with the quality of methods and evidence largely classified as weak. Processes likely to contribute to the outcomes of sport-based youth development interventions were identified (e.g., predictors of ongoing engagement, alignment between target population and intervention, intervention design), although more rigorous research is needed on these and other processes. Physical health outcomes were only studied in 3 of the 10 intervention types. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence base does not yet warrant wide-scale implementation of sport-based youth development interventions for public health goals within the U. S., although there is promising research that identifies areas for further exploration.

Factors associated with using research evidence in national sport organisations.

The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with the use of research evidence in Canadian National Sport Organisations (NSOs). Data were collected via individual semi-structured interviews with 21 representatives from Canadian NSOs. A qualitative description approach was used. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to an inductive-to-deductive thematic analysis. A research implementation framework (Rycroft-Malone, 2004) was used to organise inductively derived themes into the higher-order categories of evidence (use of evidence, disconnection between research and practice), context (lack of capacity, organisational structure), and facilitation (personal connections with researchers and sport scientists, formal meetings with stakeholders). Overall, NSO representatives did not have a clear understanding of evidence and lacked capacity to access and translate research. However, some context factors, along with internal and external facilitators, were in place and could be used to enhance research implementation.

A grounded theory of positive youth development through sport based on results from a qualitative meta-study.

The overall purpose of this study was to create a model of positive youth development (PYD) through sport grounded in the extant qualitative literature. More specifically, the first objective was to review and evaluate qualitative studies of PYD in sport. The second objective was to analyze and synthesize findings from these studies. Following record identification and screening, 63 articles were retained for analysis. Meta-method analysis revealed strengths of studies were the use of multiple data collection and validity techniques, which produced high-quality data. Weaknesses were limited use of 'named' methodologies and inadequate reporting of sampling procedures. Philosophical perspectives were rarely reported, and theory was used sparingly. Results of an inductive meta-data analysis produced three categories: PYD climate (adult relationships, peer relationships, and parental involvement), life skills program focus (life skill building activities and transfer activities), and PYD outcomes (in personal, social, and physical domains). A model that distinguishes between implicit and explicit processes to PYD is presented.

Sport participation and its association with social and psychological factors known to predict substance use and abuse among youth: A scoping review of the literature.

This article presents the results of a scoping review of the sport literature (2000-2014) on psychological and social outcomes relevant to youth alcohol and illicit drug use. Prior reviews report that sport is related to increased alcohol use and reduced illicit drug use among youth, yet provide little guidance regarding the mechanisms that can explain this relationship. We reviewed the literature on sport participation and psychological and social outcomes to identify factors that could help explain this link. Psychological and social factors were selected as they play a paramount role in understanding youth alcohol and drug use. Fifty-nine articles were identified and included in the review. The literature generally supported connections between sport and positive psychological and social outcomes, including self-esteem, self-regulation, general life skills, and pro-social behaviour. Yet limitations in the methods and measures limit the ability to draw conclusions from the literature. In addition, the diversity of youth and sport was generally ignored in the literature. This article suggests a number of directions for future research that might improve our understanding of how sport impacts psychological and social outcomes along with alcohol and illicit drug use.