Facilitating positive youth development through youth sport : the role of motivational climates and
assistant
adult social agents in secondary school sport teams
Authors:   , Lim Regina Si Hui 
Published: November 2024

School sport is a fertile platform to facilitate positive youth development (PYD). However, studies have evidenced that sport engagement does not always produce positive benefits and youth athletes remain susceptible to negative outcomes as a result of competition. Yet, it remains unclear which are the specific processes through which participation in youth sport impact youth development in positive or negative ways. This is further complicated by a lack of agreement on which developmental outcomes are key to PYD and should be consistently used as outcomes in the design and evaluation of sport programmes. To address these issues and further the potential of youth sport to facilitate PYD, three related studies were designed, culminating in the testing of an intervention programme that sought to negate undesirable impact of competitive youth sport. The first study investigated the validity of the 4Cs (i.e., competence, confidence, connectedness, character) as an evaluative framework for PYD and its utility in the intervention study. A robust analytical approach, the bifactor exploratory structural equation modelling, supported the multi-dimensionality of the 4Cs in which four distinct constructs co-existed with an overarching bifactor. The results revealed that PYD may be more anchored on the confidence of youth athletes. To understand how sport participation influence athlete development, the influence of adult figures in the youth sport environment cannot be understated. The second study examined the roles of supporting staff in secondary school sport teams - a group of adult mentors to youth athletes that has been underrepresented in research. In-depth interviews evidenced that supporting teachers complemented the role of coaches in facilitating PYD, and in some areas, was more influential than the coach. This study provided one of the first accounts that extensively discussed the contributions of supporting staff to youth sport teams. The third study tested the effectiveness of a TARGET-based intervention programme to facilitate PYD in secondary school sport teams. The intervention sought to encourage positive development amidst competitive pressures through promoting a task climate. A unique approach adopted in the intervention design was the integration of two related concepts into a framework to guide intervention design and evaluation. The mixed methodology provided evidence for the effectiveness of the intervention in preserving the task climate in secondary school sport teams and the 4Cs among youth athletes. Contrary to prior studies, the intervention did not reduce the salience of an ego climate and antisocial behaviour. Qualitative inquiry illustrated how TARGET structures can be translated into practical strategies and how they impact specific 4Cs outcomes, benefitting its future applications. This thesis presents one of the few attempts to apply TARGET structures to youth sport settings by adopting the 4Cs as an evaluative framework. I presented detailed evidence supporting the effectiveness of the TARGET structures and unveiled much needed information on practical strategies that can be derived from them. This study is among the first to provide intervention to supporting staff and evidence their potential in promoting PYD in secondary school sport. Practical implications and limitations of the study are discussed while potential future applications are recommended.