title: School sport participation during adolescence and mental health in early adulthood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This longitudinal study examined the association between participation in school sport during adolescence and mental health in early adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescents (n = 853) reported participation in school sport in each grade throughout the 5 years of secondary school. In early adulthood, participants reported depressive symptoms, level of stress, and self-rated mental health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Involvement in school sport during adolescence was a statistically significant predictor of lower depression symptoms, lower perceived stress, and higher self-rated mental health in young adulthood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School sport participation may protect against poor mental health in early adulthood. Policies to increase school sport participation may be warranted as part of public health strategies to promote mental health.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jewett
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: catherine.sabiston@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sabiston
authors.affiliation: School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.affiliation: Research Hospital Center of the Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Exercise Science, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Erin K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: O'Loughlin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scarapicchia
authors.affiliation: Research Hospital Center of the Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Loughlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescence; Depression; Mental health; School sport; Stress