A new study has found that playing a team sport can have many benefits to the mental health of youth. The mental health of youth is turning into its own epidemic, and attention is being called to do something about it. The pandemic has made a problem even worse, but it has also highlighted the need for resources and services for youth who are struggling. This means that we are paying closer attention to studies and research that are being done on what can help youth with their mental health, and it can help parents know what to try to help their children.
According to Medical Xpress, a new study has found that team sports are linked to fewer mental health difficulties in kids, and it may be a strategy worth trying. This study was published in the journal, PLOS One, and it can be read in full here.
Team sports have always been known to carry benefits, like exercise and learning to be a part of a team, but they may be better for mental health than was previously thought, and it may be time to sign your child up for one.
Not only did the study find that team sports made mental health better, but it found that individual sports had a negative impact on mental health in youth. It found that those who took part in sports like tennis or wrestling actually had worse mental health than those who did not take part in a sport at all.
The reason this study was done was that there have been conflicting results on how sports can impact mental health. They wanted to get a more definitive answer about how sports, or lack thereof, can impact the mental health of youth. They wanted to see which approaches would hold the most benefits.
To complete their study, they looked at more than 11,000 children between the ages of 9 to 13 years old. Their parents were asked to report on many themes within their child’s mental health by filling out questionnaires. They then looked for any associations between mental health and sports.
They also looked at other factors that could be implemented, like family income and other physical activity. Their results showed that children who participated in sports that involved teams were less likely to have signs of anxiety, depression, social problems, and attention problems. If your child has been asking to join the soccer or baseball team, not may be the time to sign up.
Sources: Medical Xpress, PLOS One