title: Psychological considerations in youth sports.
abstract: Childhood participation in sports involves a complex interaction of many physical, psychological, and social factors. Some children and teenagers cope well with the stress of performance and competition and their participation leads to enhanced self-esteem and personal growth; others cope poorly, however, and are at a higher risk for injury. Based on clinical observations of patients seen through the sports and orthopedic services at a major children's hospital, this article has identified two groups of children and adolescents at risk for psychological complications following injury. Psychotherapeutic intervention is seen as a fundamental component in the overall treatment planning for patients manifesting a difficult recovery course, prolonged interference in athletic injury, and a tendency toward reinjury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Pillemer
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Micheli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology