Key Social Agents As Predictors of Social Competence Development in a Sport-Based Positive Youth Development Program

Background: Urban youth are disproportionally confronted with a wide range of risks (Catalano et al., 2004; Fraser, et al., 2004).  As a result, 20% of youth are lacking age-appropriate social skills, and in turn, are at an increased risk for negative outcomes such as school dropout and engagement in risky behaviors (Blumberg et al., 2008).  One form of positive youth development (PYD) often used when targeting the needs of urban youth from disadvantaged circumstances is sport-based PYD.  While research has indicated the positive impact of sport-based PYD programs on the youth development (Anderson-Butcher et al., 2014), much is unknown about key social agents associated with facilitating such outcomes.  Within sport-based PYD research, influential social agents, such as program staff and parents/caregivers, have been identified (Anderson-Butcher et al., 2004; Riley et al., 2016); however, the role these influences have in promoting prosocial outcomes is less clear.  Additionally, little research explores outcomes and mechanisms related to sport-based PYD participation among youth from diverse backgrounds.  As such, this study examined relationships with staff and parental support as predictors of social competence development in a sport-based PYD summer camp program.

Methods: Data were collected at the sport-based PYD summer camp program designed to promote social competence amongst youth living in poverty and/or of color.  A total of 635 youth completed a surveys at pre and post program participation.  The mean age of youth was 11.6 years old (SD = 1.77), 61.6% were male, 90.0% were African American, and 77.6% were living in poverty.

Relationships with staff were measured at posttest using a six-item modified version of the Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale (PSSMS; Cox & Williams, 2008).  Parental support was measured at posttest using an eight-item modified version of the Parental Involvement and Support Scale and PSSMS (Anderson-Butcher et al., 2013; Cox & Williams, 2008).  Youths’ self-perceived social competence was measured at pretest and posttest using the five-item Perceived Social Competence Scale-II (PSCS-II; Anderson-Butcher et al., 2014).  Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to help better understand the relationships of key social agents and youths’ social competence.

Results: Hierarchical multiple regression was performed to investigate the ability of staff relations and parental support to predict levels of youth posttest social competence following participation in the sport-based PYD program, after controlling for pretest social competence scores.  The final model, after the entry of staff relations and parental support, the variance explained by the model was 39.6% (F (2, 302) = 65.948; p < .001).  Specifically, the introduction of staff relations and parental support explained 12.3% variance in measures of posttest social competence (R² Change = .123; F (2, 302) = 30.802; < .001).

Implications: This study further supported the influential role of the program staff within the context of a sport-based PYD program.  Further, the study provides initial support for the role of parental support in reinforcing social competence in sport-based PYD programs.  By identifying and better understanding the key social agents associated with youths’ developmental outcomes, youth programs can be more intentional in their programming and practices.