The Atmosphere Surrounding Sports Influences the Psychological and Social Development of Underserved Youth

Researchers from Michigan State University's Institute for the Study of Youth Sports (ISYS) have discovered that underserved youth report more life skill and character development when their coaches place greater emphasis on creating caring climates. This involves the coach creating an atmosphere that focuses on player self-improvement versus players' comparing and competing with teammates.

"This research adds to the growing body of knowledge that shows that coaching actions and the team climates they create have important influences on the personal development of youth. Our data suggests that if coaches want to develop life skills and character in youth like teamwork and social skills, initiative and a sense of identity, it is important to focus on player self-improvement more so than winning. Furthermore, coaches should create a climate or atmosphere where kids feel cared about, meaning the team setting is inviting for all, safe and supportive and youth feel valued. These positive things should occur while at the same time avoiding the creation of an ego-oriented climate focusing primary attention on comparing themselves to others" reports ISYS Director and first author of the study Dr. Dan Gould.

The study, conducted by Gould, Dr. Larry Lauer, ISYS Director of Coaching Education and Development, and Dr. Ryan Flett, former ISYS doctoral student and now assistant professor of coaching education at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia, surveyed 239 urban youth sports participants and appeared in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise. The student-athletes completed the Youth Experiences Scale-2, which measures both positive youth developmental experiences (e.g., learning teamwork and developing social skills) as well as negative developmental experiences (e.g., stress, feeling pressure to do something felt to be morally wrong). The young athletes, ages 10-19, also completed a caring climate scale, a sport motivation climate scale and measures of their perceptions of the importance their coaches place on psychosocial development. The results clearly show that the more coaches create caring and task-oriented climates, the more likely important positive developmental gains will occur.

In contrast, "creating an ego-oriented climate that focuses primary attention on beating others was associated with negative developmental outcomes like negative peer influences and inappropriate adult behaviors. These results show that coaching actions and behaviors have important influences on personal and social development of young people involved in sport in general and in underserved populations as well" remarked Gould. Ultimately, coaches must balance the challenge of challenging players to be better with more important developmental goals. "In addition to task orientation and caring climate, coaches can challenge youth and to be accountable. But, they must be supportive and caring at the same time rather than being harsh or putting winning ahead of having a greater purpose in sport: to teach kids to be the best person and player each child can be," summarized Dr. Flett.

Contact:

Dr. Larry Lauer, Media Contact, Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, Michigan State University
lauerl@msu.edu
517-353-5395

Posted Jan 25, 2012

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