Sports and recreation-based programs for socially vulnerable youth: A study of meanings, motivations, and impacts

Son, Hwayong

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/116056 Copy

Description

Title

Sports and recreation-based programs for socially vulnerable youth: A study of meanings, motivations, and impacts

Author(s)

Son, Hwayong

Issue Date

2022-07-08

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Berdychevsky, Liza

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Berdychevsky, Liza

Committee Member(s)

• Stodolska, Monika
• Larson, Reed
• Welty Peachey, Jon
• Tan, Kelvin

Department of Study

Recreation, Sport and Tourism

Discipline

Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Sport and recreation programs
• Socially vulnerable youth
• Motivation
• Meanings
• Social emotional learning
• Mechanisms of action
• Constructivist grounded theory

Abstract

Community-based sport and recreation programs that provide activities to socially vulnerable youth can be an effective setting for social emotional skills development. However, not all sport and recreation programs are successful, and scholars questioned the power of sport and recreation for promoting social emotional learning, particularly for socially vulnerable youth. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of youth program participants and practitioners on the meanings, motivational cycle, and social emotional developmental outcomes associated with sport and recreation programs for socially vulnerable youth. This study also aimed to investigate the mechanisms of action underlying the development of the social emotional skills captured by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) model. In-depth interviews with youth and practitioners were conducted and analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. The findings revealed transformations throughout the program participation in the motivations and meanings that youth assign to their program experiences. Moreover, the analysis showed that community-based organizations could strategically implement sport and recreation activities to promote CASEL’s five competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. This study also identified specific mechanisms of action (i.e., new role, relations with practitioners, program design features, and contextual characteristics) driving the development of the social emotional skills among socially vulnerable youth. This study advances knowledge and practice on the areas of recruitment, retainment, and promotion of social emotional learning through sport and recreation programs for socially vulnerable youth.

Graduation Semester

2022-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Hwayong Son

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