Action Sports: Mental Health Implications for Adolescents

Abstract

This study explored the immediate effects on youth participating in an action sports program focused on snowboarding. Drawing from a cognitive behavioral theory of mental health treatment, and the results of previous research on the beneficial effects of sporting activities on mental health, I tested two hypotheses, assuming that snowboarding may improve the self-concept and the resilience of participants. I implemented a one-group pretest-posttest design and tested the hypotheses using data collected with a self-report questionnaire administered to a convenience sample of youth aged 10 to 18 years (N = 39). Due to threats to internal and external validity, including the lack of a control group, it was not possible to provide a definitive answer to the question of what degree participating in snowboarding changed the self-concept and resilience of adolescents. The participants did not report a statistically significant increase in resilience (p = .866). Although the participants reported a statistically significant (p = .048) increase in self-concept, the effect size was small (Cohen’s d = .34). Due to the small sample size, which was not representative of the population, this finding could not be generalized. Nevertheless, the observed improvement in the self-concept of the participants may have practical implications for counselors, mental health professionals, and social workers to encourage adolescents to participate in snowboarding. I recommend further research to overcome the weaknesses and limitations of this study.