Effects of a sport programme (Box'Tag®) on disadvantaged youth participants
Article
Article Title | Effects of a sport programme (Box'Tag®) on disadvantaged youth participants |
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ERA Journal ID | 6326 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Terry, Peter C. (Author), Hahn, Allan (Author) and Simjanovic, Melina (Author) |
Journal Title | International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology |
Journal Citation | 12 (3), pp. 258-272 |
Number of Pages | 15 |
Year | 2014 |
Place of Publication | Philadelphia, PA. United States |
ISSN | 1557-251X |
1612-197X | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2014.880263 |
Abstract | There is evidence that appropriately structured sport programmes can help young people to build positive life skills while also improving their physical fitness and psychological well-being. Disadvantaged and marginalised young people have relatively low rates of participation in sport, and designing programmes that attract and retain them presents a major challenge. Some success has been reported for programmes involving boxing, but such programmes entail a high potential for injury. The present study assessed the effects of a modified, low-risk form of boxing, known as Box'Tag®, on disadvantaged 11-12-year-olds. Volunteer Grade 7 students (N = 51) participated in an eight-week programmes of two to three sessions per week. Using a matched-pair design to control for effects of gender and risk of social disengagement (at-risk/not-at-risk), participants were assigned to either the Box'Tag® intervention or a control condition, in the form of a largely non-physical social skills programmes called Rock and Water. To assess aspects of psychological well-being, the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were administered at baseline (T1), at 4 weeks (T2), at 8 weeks (T3), and a follow-up at 12 weeks (T4). Participants completed a shuttle run and other fitness tests at T1 and T3. Qualitative feedback from participants (n = 36) was gathered via open-ended questions at T3. No significant between-group differences were found for BRUMS or SDQ scores, although both the intervention and control groups reported significant reductions in total difficulties scores from T1 to T2 and the not-at-risk members of the Box'Tag® group reported the most positive trends for total mood disturbance from T1 to T2. The Box'Tag® group showed significant improvement in shuttle run performance from T1 to T3, whereas the control group showed no improvement. Programme perceptions were more positive for Box'Tag® participants than for the control group, and behavioural benefits were found for both programmes. Overall, the Box'Tag® programme appealed to children of both sexes, engaged children at risk of social disengagement, had positive effects on aerobic fitness, and yielded behavioural benefits for some participants. |
Keywords | Box'Tag®; disadvantage; mood; rock and water; shuttle run; youth |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 520107. Sport and exercise psychology |
520599. Social and personality psychology not elsewhere classified | |
441005. Social theory | |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | School of Psychology and Counselling |
Queensland Academy of Sport, Australia | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q28v9/effects-of-a-sport-programme-box-tag-on-disadvantaged-youth-participants
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