Participation in sport and recreation may contribute to various holistic benefits among Indigenous youth in Canada. However, there is a need for a consolidated evidence base to support the development of sport and recreation opportunities that could facilitate such holistic benefits. The purpose of this research was to produce a meta-study of qualitative research examining sport and recreation experiences of Indigenous youth in Canada. Following record identification and screening, 20 articles were retained for analysis and synthesis. Strengths and weaknesses of included studies were identified through the meta-method and meta-theory analysis. The meta-data analysis revealed five themes that represent the sport and recreation experiences of Indigenous youth. Working collaboratively with community members, our final meta-synthesis situated these five themes within the integrated Indigenous ecological model. This review consolidates the qualitative evidence base, and provides direction for future research and practice.
AugerM. D. (2016). Cultural continuity as a determinant of Indigenous peoples’ health: A metasynthesis of qualitative research in Canada and the United States. The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 7(4), 1–24. doi:10.18584/iipj.2016.7.4.3
2.
BarrosoJ.GollopC. J.SandelowskiM.MeynellJ.PearceP. F.CollinsL. J. (2003). The challenges of searching for and retrieving qualitative studies. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 25, 153–178. doi:10.1177/0193945902250034
3.
BattisteM. (2002). Decolonizing university research: Ethical guidelines for research involving Indigenous populations. In AlfredssonG.StavropoulouM. (Eds.), Justice pending: Indigenous peoples and other good causes (pp. 33–44). The Hague, The Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff.
4.
BlodgettA. T.SchinkeR. J. (2015). “When you’re coming from the reserve you’re not supposed to make it”: Stories of Aboriginal athletes pursuing sport and academic careers in “mainstream” cultural contexts. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21, 114–124. doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.03.001
5.
BlodgettA. T.SchinkeR. J.FisherL. A.YungblutH. E.Recollet-SaikkonenD.PeltierD.. . . PickardP. (2010). Praxis and community-level sport programming strategies in a Canadian Aboriginal reserve. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 8, 262–283. doi:10.1080/1612197X.2010.9671953
6.
BlodgettA. T.SchinkeR. J.McGannonK. R.CoholicD. A.EnosseL.PeltierD.PheasantC. (2014). Navigating the insider-outsider hyphen: A qualitative exploration of the acculturation challenges of Aboriginal athletes pursuing sport in Euro-Canadian contexts. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 15, 345–355. doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.02.009
7.
BronfenbrennerU. (1994). Ecological models of human development. Readings on the Development of Children, 2(1), 37–43.
8.
BrunerM. W.HillierS.BaillieC. P.LavalléeL. F.BrunerB. G.HareK.. . . LévesqueL. (2016). Positive youth development in Aboriginal physical activity and sport: A systematic review. Adolescent Research Review, 1, 257–269. doi:10.1007/s40894015-0021-9
CastellanoM. B.ReadingJ. (2010). Policy writing as dialogue: Drafting an Aboriginal chapter for Canada’s Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. International Indigenous Policy Journal, 1(2). Retrieved from http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/iipj/vol1/iss2/1
12.
CritchleyK. A.WaltonF.TimmonsV.BryantonJ.McCarthyM. J.TaylorJ. (2006). Personal health practices around physical activity as perceived by the Aboriginal children of Prince Edward Island (2006). Journal of Aboriginal Health, 3, 26–33.
13.
DyckFehderauD.HoltN. L.BallG. D.Alexander First Nation Community, & WillowsN. D. (2013). Feasibility study of asset mapping with children: Identifying how the community environment shapes activity and food choices in Alexander First Nation. Rural and Remote Health, 13, Article 2289. Retrieved from http://www.rrh.org.au/articles/subviewnew.asp?ArticleID=2289
14.
FergusonL.PhilipenkoN. (2016). “I would love to blast some pow music and just dance”: First Nations students’ experiences of physical activity on a university campus. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 8, 180–193. doi:10.1080/2159676X.2015.1099563
ForsythJ. (2007). The Indian Act and the (re)shaping of Canadian Aboriginal sport practices. International Journal of Canadian Studies, 35, 95–111. doi:10.7202/040765ar
17.
ForsythJ. (2013). Bodies of meaning: Sports and games at Canadian residential schools. In ForsythJ.GilesA. R. (Eds.), Aboriginal peoples & sport in Canada: Historical foundations and contemporary issues (pp. 15–34). Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.
18.
ForsythJ. (2014). Aboriginal sport in the city: Implications for participation, health, and policy in Canada. Aboriginal Policy Studies, 3, 214–222. doi:10.5663/aps.vil-2.21707
19.
ForsythJ. (2016). The illusion of inclusion: Agenda 21 and the commodification of Indigenous culture in Olympic Games. Public, 27(53), 22–34. doi:10.1386/public.27.53.22_1
20.
ForsythJ.HeineM. (2008). Sites of meaning, meaningful sites? Sport and recreation for Aboriginal youth in inner city Winnipeg, Manitoba. Native Studies Review, 17(2), 99–113.
21.
GrahamI. D.TetroeJ. M. (2009). Implementation of evidence. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 7, 157–158. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1609.2009.00140.x
22.
HalasJ.McRaeH.PetherickL. (2012). Advice for physical education teachers from Aboriginal youth: Become an ally. Physical & Health Education Journal, 78(3), 6–11.
23.
HallA. M. (2013). Toward a history of Aboriginal women in Canadian sport. In ForsythJ.GilesA. R. (Eds.), Aboriginal peoples & sport in Canada: Historical foundations and contemporary issues (pp. 64–91). Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.
24.
HayhurstL. M. C.GilesA. R.RadforthW. M., & The Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society. (2015). “I want to come here to prove them wrong”: Using a post-colonial feminist participatory action research (PFPAR) approach to studying sport, gender and development programmes for urban Indigenous young women. Sport in Society, 18, 952–967. doi:10.1080/17430437.2014.997585
25.
HeineM. (2006). Dene games: An instruction and resource manual (2nd ed.). Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada: Sport North Foundation.
26.
HeineM. (2007). Inuit games: An instruction and resource manual (3rd ed.). Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada: Sport North Foundation.
27.
HeineM. (2013). Performance indicators: Aboriginal games at the Arctic Winter Games. In ForsythJ.GilesA. R. (Eds.), Aboriginal peoples & sport in Canada: Historical foundations and contemporary issues (pp. 160–181). Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.
28.
HoltN. L.NeelyK. C.SlaterL. G.CamiréM.CôtéJ.Fraser-ThomasJ.. . . TamminenK. A. (2017). A grounded theory of positive youth development through sport based on results from a qualitative meta-study. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 10, 1–49. doi:10.1080/1750984X.2016.1180704
29.
IwasakiY.BartlettJ. G. (2006). Culturally meaningful leisure as a way of coping with stress among Aboriginal individuals with diabetes. Journal of Leisure Research, 38, 321–338.
30.
KentelJ. L.McHughT.-L. F. (2015). “Mean mugging”: An exploration of young Aboriginal women’s experiences of bullying in team sports. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 37, 367–378. doi:10.1123/jsep.2014-0291
31.
KerpanS.HumbertL. (2015). Playing together: The physical activity beliefs and behaviors of urban Aboriginal youth. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 12, 1409–1413. doi:10.1123/jpah.2014-0533
32.
KirmayerL. J.DandeneauS.MarshallE.PhillipsM. K.WilliamsonK. J. (2011). Rethinking resilience from indigenous perspectives. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 56, 84–91. doi:10.1177/070674371105600203
33.
LavalléeL. F. (2007). Physical activity and healing through the medicine wheel. Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health, 5, 127–153.
34.
LavalléeL. F.LévesqueL. (2013). Two-eyed seeing: Physical activity, sport, and recreation promotion in Indigenous communities. In ForsythJ.GilesA. R. (Eds.), Aboriginal peoples & sport in Canada: Historical foundations and contemporary issues (pp. 206–228). Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.
35.
LeeH.TamminenK. A.ClarkA. M.SlaterL.SpenceJ. C.HoltN. L. (2015). A meta-study of qualitative research examining determinants of children’s independent active free play. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12, 1–12. doi:10.1186/s12966-015-0165-9
36.
MasonC.KoehliJ. (2012). Barriers to physical activity for Aboriginal youth: Implications for community health, policy, and culture. Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health, 10, 97–107.
37.
McHughT.-L. F. (2011). Physical activity experiences of Aboriginal youth. Native Studies Review, 20, 7–26.
38.
McHughT.-L. F.CoppolaA. M.HoltN. L.AndersenC. (2015). “Sport is community”: An exploration of urban Aboriginal peoples’ meanings of community within the context of sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 18, 75–84. doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.01.005
39.
McHughT.-L. F.CoppolaA. M.SinclairS. (2013). An exploration of the meanings of sport to urban Aboriginal youth: A photovoice approach. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 5, 291–311. doi:10.1080/2159676X.2013.819375
40.
McHughT.-L. F.HoltN. L.AndersenC. (2015). Community-based sport research with Indigenous youth. Retos: Nuevas Tendencias en Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación, 28, 219–224.
41.
McHughT.-L. F.KingsleyB.CoppolaA. M. (2013). Research questions that matter: Engaging Aboriginal youth in the research process. Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health, 11, 293–305.
42.
MessnerM. A.MustoM. (2014). Where are the kids?Sociology of Sport Journal, 31, 102–122. doi:10.1123/ssj.2013-0111
43.
ParaschakV. (2013). Aboriginal peoples and the construction of Canadian sport policy. In ForsythJ.GilesA. R. (Eds.), Aboriginal peoples & sport in Canada: Historical foundations and contemporary issues (pp. 95–123). Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.
44.
PatersonB. L.ThorneS. E.CanamC.JillingsC. (2001). Meta-study of qualitative health research: A practical guide to meta-analysis and meta-synthesis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
45.
PetruckaP.BickfordD.BassendowskiS.GoodwillW.WajuntaC.YuzicappiB.. . . RauliukM. (2016). Positive leadership, legacy, lifestyles, attitudes, and activities for Aboriginal youth: A wise practices approach for positive Aboriginal youth futures. International Journal of Indigenous Health, 11, 177–197. doi:10.18357/ijih111201616017
46.
ReadingC. L.WienF. (2009). Health inequalities and social determinants of Aboriginal peoples’ health. Prince George, BC: National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health.
47.
SandelowskiM. (1993). Theory unmasked: The uses and guises of theory in qualitative research. Research in Nursing & Health, 16, 213–218. doi:10.1002/nur.4770160308
48.
SasakamooseJ.ScerbeA.WenausI.ScandrettA. (2016). First Nation and Métis youth perspectives of health: An Indigenous qualitative inquiry. Qualitative Inquiry, 22, 636–650. doi:10.1177/1077800416629695
49.
SchinkeR. J.BlodgettA. T.YungblutH. E.EysM. A.BattochioR. C.WabanoM. J.. . . Recollet-SaikonnenD. (2010). The adaptation challenges and strategies of adolescent Aboriginal athletes competing off reserve. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 34, 438–456. doi:10.1177/0193723510379993
50.
SchinkeR. J.YungblutH.BlodgettA.EysM.PeltierD.RitchieS.Recollet-SaikkonenD. (2010). The role of families in youth sport programming in a Canadian Aboriginal reserve. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 7, 156–166. doi:10.1123/jpah.7.2.156
51.
SmithB.McGannonK. R. (2018). Developing rigor in qualitative research: Problems and opportunities within sport and exercise psychology. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 11, 101–121. doi:10.1080/1750984X.2017.1317357
52.
SmithK.FindlayL.CromptonS. (2010). Participation in sports and cultural activities among Aboriginal children and youth. Canadian Social Trends, 90, 51–58.
TangK.Community Wellness Program, & JardineC. G. (2016). Our way of life: Importance of Indigenous culture and tradition to physical activity practices. International Journal of Indigenous Health, 11, 211–227. doi:10.18357/ijih111201616018
55.
ThorneS. (2017). Metasynthetic madness: What kind of monster have we created?Qualitative Health Research, 27, 3–12. doi:10.1177/1049732316679370
56.
TongA.SainsburyP.CraigJ. (2007). Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): A 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 19, 349–357.
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
