Parents’ Role in Fostering Positive Youth Development in Sport: Theoretical and Conceptual Considerations

Abstract

Nearly nine in ten North American youth participate in organized sport during childhood and/or adolescence (Clark, 2010; USDHHS, 2010). This participation has been associated with positive physical, psychological, and emotional benefits during childhood and across the lifespan (Bailey, 2006; Weiss, 2016). To foster these positive outcomes, parents seek out opportunities for growth, development, and socialization for their children. In doing so, they become active participants in their children\u27s youth sport experiences, exhibiting a broad range of involvement behaviors over the course of a child\u27s development. In turn, parents\u27 involvement behaviors reciprocally influence the child\u27s sport participation, performance, and enjoyment (Fraser-Thomas, Strachan, & Jeffery-Tosoni, 2013)