Does Participation in Interscholastic Athletics Affect Adult Development?

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between athletic participation as a high school student and subsequent psychosocial development, using data from a national probability sample of American youths in their sophomore and senior years. The analysis compared sports participation to social class background, cognitive aptitude, academic grade average, level of self-esteem, and racial background. The findings were consistent for both sexes, except that females were substantially more likely than males to have dropped out of sports by their senior year. Youths from disadvantaged backgrounds were less likely to become high school athletes in their sophomore year and more likely to have dropped out of athletics by their senior year. The data also showed that athletic participation was a weaker predictor of later alcohol use and level of self-esteem and that student athletes' educational attainment was higher than nonathletes. There was no clear association between athletic participation and either early marriage or early parenthood.