The life skills mental health connection in sport
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Date
2024-11-12
Authors
Gross, Landon
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education
Abstract
Life skills are important outcomes for positive youth development (PYD). Sport participation offers unique opportunities for youth to develop life skills, potentially impacting mental health outcomes. This study examined the relationship between life skills development through sport and mental health functioning, investigating the potential mediating role of life skills transfer. Four research questions guided this study: (a) what are the relationships between life skills and mental health? (b) what are the relationships between life skills and life skills transfer? (c) what are the relationships between life skills transfer and mental health? and (d) does life skills transfer mediate the relationships between life skills and mental health? Given Portugal’s strong youth sport culture and recent initiatives to focus on mental health, a sample youth athletes aged 12-18 from Portugal completed measures of life skills, life skills transfer, and mental health functioning. Results indicated associations between life skills, life skills transfer, and mental health as well as which life skills were most associated with mental health and subsets of mental health (i.e., subjective, social, psychological). Mediation analysis revealed which life skills depend on the ability to transfer the skill to other areas of life to impact mental health outcomes in sport. Findings offer actionable guidance for working professionals and extend previous theoretical perspectives. Implications for counselling/sport psychologists and sport clubs are discussed.
Description
Keywords
Counselling psychology , Sport psychology , Youth in sport , Life skills transfer