Sport Participation and Adolescent Deviance: A Logistic Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between sport participation and school defined deviance in eighth grade adolescents. Building upon the previous sport participation literature and utilizing Hirschi s social bond theory to inform variable selection procedures, analysis of the relationship is measured with mediating student, family, and school variables extracted from the National Education Longitudinal Survey. After a brief discussion of the previous sport participation literature, theoretical framework used, methodology, research design, and measures, the results reveal sport participation had a slight impact upon adolescent deviance. The analysis supports the ideas that there are statistically significant differences between athletes and non-athletes in regards to certain characteristics (informed by social bond theory) that influence deviant behavior. In addition, logistic regression shows that while sport participation does have a moderate impact upon adolescent deviance, it could be other social bond characteristics, such as family characteristics, have a greater impact upon deviant behavior. Current research limitations and future directions are discussed.