title: On-and off-field antisocial and prosocial behavior in adolescent soccer players: a multilevel study.
abstract: This study investigated to what extent team membership predicts on- and off-field antisocial and prosocial behavior in (pre)adolescent athletes. Effects of team-membership were related to characteristics of the team environment, such as relational support from the coach towards team members, fair play attitude and sociomoral reasoning within the team, and sociomoral climate. The sample consisted of N=331 male soccer players. Multilevel analyses revealed that 21% of the variance in off-field antisocial behavior, and 8% and 14% of the variance in on-field antisocial and prosocial behavior, respectively, could be attributed to characteristics of the sporting environment, including relational support from the coach, exposure to high levels of sociomoral reasoning about sports dilemmas, and positive team attitude toward fair play. The results highlight the importance of contextual factors in explaining both antisocial and prosocial behavior in adolescent athletes and emphasize the role of organized youth sports as a socialization context.
authors: Department of Educational Sciences, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94208, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e.rutten@uva.nl
authors: Esther A
authors: EA
authors: Rutten
authors: Maja
authors: M
authors: Deković
authors: Geert Jan J M
authors: GJ
authors: Stams
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Schuengel
authors: Jan B
authors: JB
authors: Hoeksma
authors: Gert J J
authors: GJ
authors: Biesta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors / Q000523:psychology; D035863:Moral Development; D009426:Netherlands; D011340:Problem Solving; D012916:Soccer / Q000523:psychology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D012951:Socialization