Development of Interpersonal Skills
Can being a part of a team help?
Physical activity alone has many benefits, but being a player on a team can do much more. Working together to achieve a common goal can help build strong relationships, improve your communication skills, and help to discover a sense of belonging. There is a positive effect on participation in team sports and a child's experience with social interaction.
Conceptual Model of Health Through Sport
physical, psychological, and social outcomes
In a 2013 review, it was determined that physical activity and participation in sports had a positive effect on improved social interaction, showing less depressive symptoms. Team sports have a better effect than individual physical activity when it comes to development in interpersonal skills. It was concluded that physical activity among children and adolescents should be advocated more frequently to improve psychological and social health.
Eime, R.M., Young, J.A., Harvey, J.T. et al. A systematic review of the psychological and social benefits of participation in sport for children and adolescents: informing development of a conceptual model of health through sport. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 10, 98 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-98
Darian Edwards
13-year-old Student Athlete
Darian Edwards, an eighth grader from a local charter school here in Las Vegas gives us insight on how sports has made an impact on his life. From playing football, soccer, and basketball, Darian tells us how playing on a team not only helps him in social settings, but how it can also act as a stress reliever. Darian is proof that sports and physical activity among children provides guidance in regard to interpersonal skills and balance in positive mental health.
There is positive relationship between lower levels of social anxiety and participation in sport activity in a team setting specifically. In a 2011 research study, approximately two hundred 7-8 year-olds were interviewed on their social anxiety levels, classroom participation and participation in team sports. These same students were interviewed a year later and the results were compared. There was a pattern that showed that students who participated in a sports team experienced less social anxiety. Their social behavior improved greatly after being a part of a team.
Dimech, A. S., & Seiler, R. (2011). Extra-curricular sport participation: A potential buffer against social anxiety symptoms in primary school children. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 12(4), 347-354.
