Education Commons^™

Continued Participation In Youth Sports: The Role Of Achievement Motivation, Lauren Gardner, Stewart A. Vella, Christopher A. Magee

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study explored the antecedents of enjoyment and intention to continue in youth sports using the social-cognitive model of achievement motivation with the 2x2 achievement goal modification. Participants were 327 sports participants aged between 11 and 15 years. Individuals high in incremental beliefs reported greater enjoyment and intention to continue. This was perhaps due to endorsing mastery-approach goals. Individuals relatively high in entity beliefs reported relatively less enjoyment. This was perhaps due to endorsing performance-avoidance goals. These individuals also reported relatively less intention to continue regardless of their achievement goals. Findings could have implications for preventing dropout from youth sports.

The Role Of Community Sports Clubs In Adolescent Mental Health: The Perspectives Of Adolescent Males' Parents, Diarmuid Hurley, Christian F. Swann, Mark S. Allen, Anthony D. Okely, Stewart A. Vella

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Adolescent males are at relatively high risk of developing mental health disorders and show low rates of help seeking when mental health disorders arise. Parents are the primary source of support for adolescents and therefore have an important role in mental health promotion and prevention of mental health disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the perceptions of adolescent males' parents on the potential role of community sport clubs in adolescent mental health promotion. Forty-six parents of adolescent males took part in 10 focus groups to investigate parents' mental health knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, perceptions of the role …

Social Climate Profiles In Adolescent Sports: Associations With Enjoyment And Intention To Continue, Lauren Gardner, Christopher A. Magee, Stewart A. Vella

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study explored whether adolescent sports participants' perceptions of the social climate fall into distinct profiles, and whether these profiles are related to enjoyment and intention to continue. A Latent Profile Analysis using 313 Australian sports participants (M_age = 13.03 years) revealed four distinct profiles: positive social climate (45.1%), diminished social climate (19.8%), positive coach relationship quality (19.8%), and positive friendship quality (15.3%). Individuals within the positive social climate and the positive coach relationship quality profiles reported relatively higher levels of enjoyment and intention to continue than individuals in the diminished social climate and the positive friendship quality …

Longitudinal Associations Between Sports Participation, Body Composition And Physical Activity From Childhood To Adolescence, Laura Basterfield, Jessica K. Reilly, Mark S. Pearce, Kathryn N. Parkinson, Ashley J. Adamson, John J. Reilly, Stewart A. Vella

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives: Several important research questions have been addressed: (1) What are the cross-sectional associations between sports club participation, objectively measured physical activity, and adiposity? (2) Do measures of physical activity and adiposity predict subsequent sports club participation? (3) Does sports club participation predict subsequent measures of physical activity and adiposity? and (4) Do changes in sports club participation predict changes in objective measures of physical activity and adiposity? Design: Longitudinal and cross-sectional. Methods: Data from the Gateshead Millennium Study birth cohort (. n=. 609 at age 7 years) were analysed for associations between adiposity, sports club participation and accelerometer-measured physical …

Socio-Ecological Predictors Of Participation And Dropout In Organised Sports During Childhood, Stewart Vella, Dylan Cliff, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the socio-ecological determinants of participation and dropout in organised sports in a nationally-representative sample of Australian children.Methods: Data were drawn from Waves 3 and 4 of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. In total, 4042 children aged 8.25 (SD = 0.44) years at baseline were included, with 24-months between Waves. Socio-ecological predictors were reported by parents and teachers, while cognitive and health measures were assessed by trained professionals. All predictors were assessed at age 8, and used to predict participation and dropout by age 10.Results: Seven variables at age …

Sports Participation And Parent-Reported Health-Related Quality Of Life In Children: Longitudinal Associations, Stewart Vella, Dylan Cliff, Christopher Magee, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective

To investigate the longitudinal association between sports participation and parent-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children.

Study design

Cohort study that used data drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children in waves 3 (2008) and 4 (2010). Participants were a nationally representative sample of 4042 Australian children ages 8.25 (SD = 0.44) years at baseline and followed-up 24 months later.

Results

After we adjusted for multiple covariates, children who continued to participate in sports between the ages of 8 and 10 years had greater parent-reported HRQOL at age 10 (Eta² = .02) compared with children who …

Associations Between Sports Participation, Adiposity And Obesity-Related Health Behaviors In Australian Adolescents, Stewart A. Vella, Dylan P. Cliff, Anthony D. Okely, Maree L. Scully, Belinda C. Morley

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between organized sports participation, weight status, physical activity, screen time, and important food habits in a large nationally representative sample of Australian adolescents.

Methods

Nationally representative cross-sectional study of 12,188 adolescents from 238 secondary schools aged between 12 and 17 years (14.47 ± 1.25 y, 53% male, 23% overweight/obese). Participation in organized sports, compliance with national physical activity, screen time, and fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines, and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and high-fat foods were self-reported. Weight status and adiposity (BMI, waist circumference) were measured.

Results

Organized sports participation …

Views Of Children And Parents On Limiting Unhealthy Food, Drink And Alcohol Sponsorship Of Elite And Children's Sports, Bridget Kelly, Louise Baur, Adrian Bauman, Lesley King, Kathy Chapman, Ben Smith

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective To determine parents' and children's attitudes towards food, beverage and alcohol sponsorship of elite and children's sports and the acceptability of policies and alternative funding models to limit this sponsorship. Design Telephone surveys were conducted with parents in February-May 2011. One child from each household was invited to complete an online survey. Surveys assessed parents' perceptions about the influence of sponsorship on children and support for limiting sponsorship, and children's awareness of and attitudes towards sponsors. Setting Randomly sampled households in New South Wales, Australia. Subjects Parents (n 825) and children aged 10-16 years (n 243). Results Three-quarters of …

A Pilot Test Of Transformational Leadership Training For Sports Coaches: Impact On The Developmental Experiences Of Adolescent Athletes, Stewart A. Vella, Lindsay G. Oades, Trevor P. Crowe

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study investigated the impact of a transformational leadership training program for youth sport coaches on adolescent athletes' perceptions of transformational leadership and positive developmental experiences. The transformational leadership training program was associated with higher rates of perceived transformational leadership behaviour at follow-up when compared to baseline measures. Importantly, these increases were associated with significantly higher rates of self-reported developmental experiences. Coach training was associated with a predictability and reliability to athlete outcomes that was not evident in athletes of a comparison group. Transformational leadership may provide a theoretically sound foundation for coaching practice and education in the service of …

Sports Sponsorship And Kids' Health: Who Are The Real Winners?, Rona Macniven, Bridget Kelly

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Over the weekend, Australian children and their parents witnessed some of the country's finest sportsmen display feats of strength, skill and endurance in the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) grand finals. I'm sure many young people would have been inspired to emulate the actions and successes of their heroes.

What spectators and viewers would also have seen was the paradoxical promotion of Carlton breweries and McDonalds in commercial advertisements during the games. The websites of the NRL, AFL reveal a similar picture of sponsorship and marketing by unhealthy food and drink companies such as Coca-Cola and …