Examining the Outcomes of a Summer Sport-Based Youth Development Program for Disadvantaged Youth

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE: Youth, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, are increasingly exposed to risk factors in their schools, families, and neighborhoods. Positive youth development programs aiming to reduce risk and enhance protective factors have been found to combat the negative influences of risk (Anthony, Alter, & Jenson, 2009; Catalano, et al., 2002; Catalano, & Miller 1992; Lauer et al., 2006). While research supports the positive impacts of youth development programs and strategies, such as after school programs and extracurricular activities (Eccles & Barber, 1999; Fredricks & Eccles, 2008; Mahoney, Larson, Eccles, & Lord, 2005), minimal research has explored the impact of more intensive, shorter-term sport-based youth development programs offered in the summer months (Hartmann, 2003; Watson, Newton, Kim, 2003). The purpose of the study was to understand how participation in a short-term sport-based program contributes to social and athletic competence, as well as other outcomes.

METHODS: This study utilized a mixed methods design. Two-hundred-ninety-seven youth ages 9-16 (M=11.98, SD=1.60) completed pre/post questionnaires assessing social competence; social competence in sport; and overall athletic and sport-specific competence. Of these participants, 55% (n=163) were male and 45% (n=134) female. Seventy-eight percent were African American, 12% Multi-racial, 2% White/Non-Hispanic, 4% Native American, and 4% were classified as "Other". T-tests were used to determine changes in perceptions of social and physical skills. Additionally, ten parents of youth participants were interviewed to gain an understanding of their perceptions of the program's contribution to child, family, and community level outcomes. Interview data were recorded and transcribed verbatim; and raw data were then coded and organized into categories and subcategories using axial coding (Corbin & Strauss, 2008).

RESULTS: Results demonstrated significant increases in youth participants' perceptions of competence in several sport specific skills. No significant differences were found in participants' perceptions of social competence. Qualitative data also provide preliminary evidence of parent perceptions of changes in youth social competencies. Additional benefits were noted by parents in relation to the contributions of the program to the family and community.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Quantitative data suggest that the program provided participants with many sport-specific gains, which is encouraging given the relationship between competence development and positive youth outcomes (Masten & Coatsworth, 1998). Parents also identified key outcomes at the family and community level that are known to contribute to healthy development. These findings provide preliminary evidence of the value of sport-based PYD summer programs for supporting the development of protective factors, or developmental assets and reducing risk. Further research is needed to better understand how to increase social competence in short-term programming, especially given the reality of funding.