The Effectiveness of Teaching Life Skills Through Sport-based Interventions for Youth at Risk

Youth who are placed at risk have been found to experience adjustment difficulties, behavioral problems, academic challenges, and/or mental health concerns (Moreau et al., 2012). One resource for these youth involve sport-based interventions designed to enhance psychosocial wellbeing. Using a single-subject design, the current study examined the effectiveness of a life skills program through sport in a sample of strategically identified youth (Danish, 2002); two additional mental skill modules were also implemented. Participants included three male adolescents. Using basketball to implement the program, life skills included managing emotions, goal setting, relaxation, confidence, mental preparation, and seeking help from others. Participants responded to a life skills survey (Weiss et al., 2014) and mental skills assessment (Durand-Bush et al., 2001) to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Results suggested the intervention was effective in enhancing two of the three participants’ ability to apply life skills learned in the intervention, supporting the use of sport-based, individualized interventions with similarly situated youth.