There is consistent evidence that physical activity levels decline from early childhood, particularly during adolescence [1Ekelund, e al. What proportion of youth are physically active? Measurement issues, levels and recent time trends BrJ Sports Med 2011 ;  45 (11) :

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti]. Specific activities, such as sport participation are at particular risk of decline among youth [2Eime, e al. A systematic review of the psychological and social benefits of participation in sport for children and adolescents: informing development of a conceptual model of health through sport Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2013 ;  10 :

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti]. Sport offers a potential vehicle through which to engage youth in physical activity, thus understanding the key influences on participation is important [3Plotnikoff, e al. Social cognitive theories used to explain physical activity behavior in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis Prev Med 2013 ;  56 (5) :

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti]. This study therefore aimed to explore the ecological correlates of sport participation in youth.

A cross-sectional study was undertaken in a sample of 12- to 14-year-old youth attending three catholic schools in Melbourne, Australia. Students completed a survey that was developed using social cognitive theory and the ecological model. Bivariate and multivariate regression models were undertaken to examine associations between the ecological variables and sports participation accounting for sex and clustering by school.

Participants (n=184) were mostly male (n=115), had a mean age of 13.26 (±64). Significant bivariable correlates of sport participation (P<.05) included: perceived competence; self-efficacy; enjoyment; athletic identity; parental modelling; subjective norms; parents’ social support; perceived availability of sport in the neighbourhood; and access to sport and recreation equipment in the home. Multivariate analysis revealed self-efficacy and subjective norms provided the greatest contribution to the model with beta scores of .26 and .22 respectively.

This study identified nine correlates significantly bivariably associated with sport participation across all ecological levels of behavioural influence. Self-efficacy and subjective norms were the most important correlates in the multivariable model. Further research is needed to better understand correlates of sport participation, particular focusing on longitudinal predictors of sport participation.