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Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Through Youth Activity Participation: Lessons from Research

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Promoting Positive Youth Development

Part of the book series: Advancing Responsible Adolescent Development ((ARAD))

Abstract

Most young people in the U.S. participate in some form of structured movement activity, such as sports or dance, and these activities have the potential to support positive youth development and continued engagement in healthy activity. In this chapter, we discuss the potential benefits and risks associated with youth participation in movement activities, potential barriers and facilitators to activity participation across diverse contexts, and ways to promote sustained participation. This chapter emphasizes that development takes place within an integrated system involving youth, their social relationships, and the multiple activities in which they participate. We examine how three key elements (positive sustained youth-adult relationships, life skill development, and opportunities for leadership) can be used to help movement-based programs promote positive youth development. In particular, we recommend that programs and policy makers should work collaboratively to provide developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant activities for young people that incorporate these three key elements, in order to better support positive youth development and healthy lifestyles.

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Acknowledgments

The writing of this chapter was supported in part by grants from the National 4-H Council, the Altria Corporation, the Thrive Foundation for Youth, and the John Templeton Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA

    Jennifer P. Agans, Robey B. Champine, Sara K. Johnson & Ceren Yalin

  2. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Karl Erickson

Authors
  1. Jennifer P. Agans
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  2. Robey B. Champine
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  3. Sara K. Johnson
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  4. Karl Erickson
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  5. Ceren Yalin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer P. Agans .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Youth Development Leadership, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA

    Edmond P. Bowers

  2. Human Development and Family Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

    G. John Geldhof

  3. Tufts University Inst. for Applied Research in Youth Dev., Medford, Massachusetts, USA

    Sara K. Johnson

  4. Tufts University Inst. for Applied Research in Youth Dev., Medford, Massachusetts, USA

    Lacey J. Hilliard

  5. Tufts University Inst. for Applied Research in Youth Dev., Medford, Massachusetts, USA

    Rachel M. Hershberg

  6. Dept. Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA

    Jacqueline V. Lerner

  7. Tufts University Inst. for Applied Research in Youth Dev., Medford, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard M. Lerner

Recommendations Additional Resources

Recommendations Additional Resources

Allen, L. R., & Barcelona, R. J. (Eds.). (2011). New directions for youth development: Recreation as a developmental experience (Vol. 130). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

  • This book features chapters from leading researchers that outline the importance of recreation for positive youth development. Chapters in this volume discuss leisure and recreation generally, as well as camp and outdoor recreation settings, and may be useful for practitioners to gain insight into ways these contexts can support youth development.

Holt, N. L. (Ed.). (2008). Positive youth development through sport. New York: Routledge.

  • This book brings together researchers from many fields to present chapters on organized sport programs, instructional athletic programs, and the promotion of positive youth development. Practitioners can use this book to gain an overview of the research findings on positive youth development in sport contexts.

Perkins, D. F., & Le Menestrel, S. (Eds.). (2007). New directions for youth development: Sports-based youth development (Vol. 115). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  • This edited volume discusses the importance of out-of-school time sports for PYD, emphasizing how these “sports-based youth development programs” can promote positive youth development. Practitioners can use this book to learn more about how to integrate a PYD perspective into youth athletic programs.

Positive Coaching Alliance. (http://www.positivecoach.org/)

  • This national nonprofit organization works with coaches, athletes, and families to use sports as a venue for character building and positive development. They offer live workshops and books as well as a host of online tools for coaches, parents, athletes, and program leaders that help to teach character through sport.

The Aspen Institute’s Project Play. (http://www.aspenprojectplay.org/)

  • This initiative aims to improve access to sports for all young people by supporting people (coaches and administrators), places (recreation facilities and parks), and programs (based in communities and accessible to all). Their website hosts reports that synthesize research findings around youth participation in sports and associated developmental outcomes that may be useful for program leaders.

Play Like a Champion Today. (http://playlikeachampion.nd.edu/)

  • This project, based at the University of Notre Dame, seeks to promote character development through sport using clinics, workshops, online courses, and an annual Summer Leadership Conference. They offer interactive clinics and resources for promoting character and preventing bullying in sports that practitioners can use to enhance their programs.

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Agans, J.P., Champine, R.B., Johnson, S.K., Erickson, K., Yalin, C. (2015). Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Through Youth Activity Participation: Lessons from Research. In: Bowers, E., et al. Promoting Positive Youth Development. Advancing Responsible Adolescent Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17166-1_8

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