Relationship of participation in specific sports to academic performance in adolescents: A 2‐year longitudinal study

Abstract

Physical activity is considered a promising behavior to improve cognitive function and academic performance in adolescents. As evidence on the relationship of specific sports activity is not conclusive, this study aimed to determine the longitudinal relationships of different sports to academic performance in adolescents and evaluate the cardiorespiratory fitness mediation effect of these sports. We focused on the demands of complex motor skills and the differences between individual sports vs team sports. Four hundred and sixty‐three 7th‐grade students (227 girls and 236 boys) were followed up over 2 years. Data regarding participation in sports activities, types of sports activities, academic performance, and cardiorespiratory fitness were obtained at baseline and after a 2‐year follow‐up. Structural equation modeling revealed that participation in all sports activity was positively associated with improvement of academic performance from baseline to follow‐up, and that these associations were mediated by cardiorespiratory fitness gains. Participation in sports activities that require more complex motor skills and individual sports activity was directly associated with an improvement of academic performance from baseline to follow‐up. Furthermore, quitting sports activities was negatively associated with academic performance via a reversal in cardiorespiratory fitness gains. These findings indicate that participation in specific sports may have significant benefits for academic performance in adolescents. Although these relationships are presumably mediated by cardiorespiratory fitness, sports activities that require more complex motor skills and individual sports participation may be directly related to academic performance. Considering that quitting sports activities reversed these benefits, sustained participation in sports is important for academic success.

To Be a Sportsman? Sport Participation Is Associated With Optimal Academic Achievement in a Nationally Representative Sample of High School Students

“…The cross-sectional evidence confirmed the positive roles of sports participation on academic performance. A 2-year longitudinal study also supported the evidence from cross-sectional studies ( 18 ). In this study, the authors suggest that sports participation provides significant benefits for improving academic achievement ( 18 ).…”

Extracurricular Activity on Music and Visual Art Associates with Children’ Academic Achievement by Transferring Each Subject Score

“…Considerable attention has been paid to extracurricular sports activities (e.g., swimming, hockey, soccer, martial arts, etc. ), and there has been a positive association between cognitive and social development and mental health (Agans et al, 2014;Ishihara et al, 2018Ishihara et al, , 2020Oberle et al, 2019;Darling et al, 2005;Broh, 2002;Shephard, 1996). Similarly, involvement in arts (e.g., music and visual arts) had a positive association with general academic performance.…”

“…Several variables were controlled, considering previous research on other extracurricular activities (e.g., Ishihara et al, 2020;Lubans et al, 2018), such as involvement in other extracurricular activities (e.g., sports and cultural activities), sex, music, and visual art score in 7 th grade, socioeconomic variables (i.e., household income and maternal education), and learning habits.…”

Early Drop-Out from Sports and Strategic Learning Skills: A Cross-Country Study in Italian and Spanish Students

“…This suggests that, in adolescence, an insufficient/critical level of affective skills (e.g., anxiety and emotions control), motivational skills (e.g., perception of competence and causal attribution) and volitional skills (e.g., perseverance) has a direct link to the abandonment of sport. Since sport and academic performance are interrelated [ 39 ], quitting sport activity means that students cannot capitalize on the beneficial influence of sport on academic achievement [ 30 , 41 ]. We speculatively suggest that the strategic learning skills may be a linking element within this association.…”

“…Moreover, transferring these skills to academic commitment may help young people successfully achieve their goals in other life domains. Adolescent sports participation [ 30 ] and, more broadly, physical activity are linked to academic achievement [ 31 , 32 ]. This is consistent with the evidence that systematic exercise programs may actually enhance the development of cognitive and metacognitive skills known to be important in addressing challenges of achievements both academically and beyond [ 33 ].…”