Participating in extracurricular activities and school sports during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations with child and youth mental health

Kaitlyn LaForge-MacKenzie; Katherine Tombeau Cost; Kimberley C. Tsujimoto; Jennifer Crosbie; Jennifer Crosbie; Alice Charach; Alice Charach; Evdokia Anagnostou; Evdokia Anagnostou; Catherine S. Birken; Catherine S. Birken; Suneeta Monga; Suneeta Monga; Elizabeth Kelley; Elizabeth Kelley; Christie L. Burton; Robert Nicolson; Stelios Georgiades; Daphne J. Korczak; Daphne J. Korczak

doi:10.3389/fspor.2022.936041

Frontiers in Sports and Active Living (Aug 2022)

Participating in extracurricular activities and school sports during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations with child and youth mental health

Kaitlyn LaForge-MacKenzie,
Katherine Tombeau Cost,
Kimberley C. Tsujimoto,
Jennifer Crosbie,
Jennifer Crosbie,
Alice Charach,
Alice Charach,
Evdokia Anagnostou,
Evdokia Anagnostou,
Catherine S. Birken,
Catherine S. Birken,
Suneeta Monga,
Suneeta Monga,
Elizabeth Kelley,
Elizabeth Kelley,
Christie L. Burton,
Robert Nicolson,
Stelios Georgiades,
Daphne J. Korczak,
Daphne J. Korczak

Affiliations

Kaitlyn LaForge-MacKenzie: Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Katherine Tombeau Cost: Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Kimberley C. Tsujimoto: Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Jennifer Crosbie: Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Jennifer Crosbie: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Alice Charach: Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Alice Charach: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Evdokia Anagnostou: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Evdokia Anagnostou: Holland Bloorview Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
Catherine S. Birken: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Catherine S. Birken: Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Suneeta Monga: Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Suneeta Monga: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Elizabeth Kelley: Department of Psychiatry, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada
Elizabeth Kelley: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada
Christie L. Burton: Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Robert Nicolson: Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
Stelios Georgiades: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Daphne J. Korczak: Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
Daphne J. Korczak: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.936041
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 4

Abstract

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In Ontario, Canada, school extracurricular activities and sports were modified or canceled for a prolonged period due to public health restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aims to examine the association of changes to extracurricular and sport participation and child and youth mental health. Data were collected on child and youth mental health symptoms (n = 908) and participation in extracurricular activities and sports in the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 academic years. Results indicated that pre-COVID (2019–2020) participation in either extracurricular activities or sports was associated with reduced anxiety, inattention, and hyperactivity during the pandemic (β range −0.08 to −0.11, p < 0.05). Participation in either extracurricular activities or sports during-COVID (2020–2021) was associated with lower depressive symptoms (β range −0.09 to −0.10, p < 0.05). Findings suggest that participation in extracurricular activities and/or school sports both before or during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with better mental health outcomes in children and youth. Implications of this work consider future situations where restrictions on extracurricular and sport participation are reinstated and the impact of child and youth mental health.

Published in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

ISSN: 2624-9367 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Recreation. Leisure: Sports
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living

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Abstract

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