Family Relationships and Youth Sport: Influence of Siblings and Parents on Youth's Participation, Interests, and Skills

Taking a family systems perspective, the present study investigated how older siblings’ and parents’ (mothers’ and fathers’) interests, skills, and participation in sports predicted younger siblings’ attitudes and behaviors in those same domains. Testing social learning principles, we further examined whether family members’ influence was stronger when they shared warmer relationships and siblings shared the same gender. Participants included mothers, fathers, and adolescent-aged first and second-born siblings from 197 maritally intact families. Families participated in home interviews as well as a series of 7 nightly phone calls during which participants reported on their daily activities. Across dependent variables, results revealed that parents’ and (with one exception) older siblings’ qualities were predictive of younger siblings’ interests, skills, and participation in sports. Inconsistent with hypotheses, however, family members’ influence was not moderated by relational warmth. Discussion highlights the need to examine the socialization processes by which siblings shape each other’s sport-related attitudes and activities

“To Be, or Not to Be, That Is the Question”: Modeling and Differentiation Among Siblings Participating in Organized Youth Sport

Organized youth sport is a relatively common family context in which sibling dynamics are not well understood. The present study was designed to address two contrasting mechanisms of socialization—modeling and differentiation—in examining older siblings’ influence on younger siblings’ sport participation. American youth (N = 221) age 10–15 years (M = 12.38, SD = 1.01) who were active sport participants completed an online survey measuring individual and family demographics, sibling relationship qualities, and parent–child relationship dimensions. The participants reported on their most proximal older siblings, all of whom were within 4 years of age. The analyses suggest that sibling differentiation dynamics decreased the likelihood of playing the same primary sport as an older sibling for (a) the same biological sex, close in age to siblings; (b) the same biological sex, further in age from siblings; and (c) mixed biological sex, wide in age from siblings. The “Discussion” section highlights the practical value of understanding the impact of sibling influence processes on the individual, sibling dyad, and family system

How do Emerging Adults Respond to Exercise Advice from Parents? A Test of Advice Response Theory

Advice response theory (ART) proposes advisor characteristics, advice politeness, and advice content impact recipient perceptions of advice quality, their intention to implement the advice, and their coping. However, ART has primarily been examined in friend-to-friend advising on academic, romantic, or social issues. To test ART in an understudied relational and topical context, emerging adults (N = 196, aged 18–28 years) were surveyed about physical activity or exercise advice they received from a parent. Current findings supported propositions about advisor characteristics and politeness, and parent–child relational elements were particularly salient. Emerging adults satisfied with their parent–child relationship rated all advice features and outcomes more favorably, and participants who reported their parents conveyed that the participant was approved of, competent, and likeable rated all outcomes more favorably. Counter to ART predictions, emerging adults displayed psychological reactance to certain message content features, responding favorably to advice they perceived to propose an efficacious solution but reacting negatively to advice perceived to emphasize their capability of performing the action and the lack of drawbacks in doing so (especially when feelings of obligation were high). ART propositions about advisor characteristics and politeness may hold across advice situations, but the parent–child dynamic during emerging adulthood and inherent face threat for health influence attempts may explain why certain formulations of advice messages elicited responses inconsistent with ART

Influences on Parental Involvement in Youth Sport

The purpose of this study was to explore the influences on parental involvement in youth sport. Specifically, this study sought to address the following research questions: (a) What are the individual and environmental influences on parental involvement? And, (b) how is parental involvement influenced by these individual and environmental factors? Data collection occurred through an online survey, which was completed by 70 parents. Data were first analyzed through thematic data analysis to identify the influences on parental involvement. Vignettes of different types of parental involvement were then created to illustrate how involvement was influenced. Results indicated that parents were involved as supporters, coaches and managers, and providers of opportunities. The types of involvement appeared to be influenced by (a) the youth sport context; (b) other parents and coaches; (c) concerns regarding own behavior; (d) knowledge and experience of sport; (e) previous experience as a sport parent; and (f) goals, expectations, and beliefs for child’s sport. Such findings highlight the importance of considering individual and sociocontextual factors when creating parent initiatives to ensure messages are more appropriately tailored to parents. Such tailoring should result in the development of more effective initiatives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved

The Impact of Evidence-Based Parent Education in Organized Youth Sport: A Pilot Study

Although existing literature in organized youth sport illuminates developmentally appropriate parent involvement behaviors, practitioners have yet to effectively disseminate evidence-based tools and strategies to parents. The purpose of the present pilot study was to design, implement, and assess an evidence-based education program for parents in organized youth sport. Thirtynine fathers and 42 mothers from 7 youth soccer teams were assigned to full, partial, or nonimplementation conditions. Parents and their sport-participating children (41 boys, 40 girls) were administered surveys at pre- and postseason. Data reveal a positive impact of the implementation on aspects of parent involvement, the parent–child relationship, and salient child outcomes

Parent Education in Youth Sport: A Community Case Study of Parents, Coaches, and Administrators

The present community case study was designed to highlight parent, coach, and administrator perceptions of community-based parent education in a youth sport community in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. Interviews with parents (n = 12), coaches (n = 13), and administrators (n = 11) were interpreted inductively using constructivist thematic analysis. Nine emergent categories are highlighted, including parents’ sport goals for their children, parents’ involvement in youth sport including impacts of involvement on children, and barriers to implementing parent education, as well as potential content for parent education. A proposed sequential framework informing community-based parent education, as well as suggestions for further action, and study limitations are included