Psychosocial Results From Monitoring the Future Data
The Women’s Sports Foundation commissioned the Teen Sport in America: Why Participation Matters report to better understand the impact of sports participation on teen health, well-being and academic achievement. Data came from a nationwide survey, called the Monitoring the Future study, of high school seniors from 2010-15. The following categories below were used in calculating 35 percent of each sport’s Psychosocial score in the Healthy Sport Index.
Cigarette Use in Past 30 Days
| Boys | % | Sig. | Girls | % | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 18% | — | Total (all respondents) | 12.3% | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 16.5% | * | Total (all athletes) | 11.2% | * |
| Baseball/Softball | 16.4% | * | Baseball/Softball | 13.9% | |
| Basketball | 15.8% | Basketball | 7.9% | ||
| Cross Country | 12.6% | Cheerleading | 14% | ||
| Football | 18.5% | Cross Country | 6.2% | * | |
| Lacrosse | 23.4% | ** | Lacrosse | 17.4% | |
| Soccer | 13.8% | * | Soccer | 8.7% | * |
| Swimming and Diving | 15.9% | Swimming and Diving | 11.1% | ||
| Tennis | 13.7% | Tennis | 9.1% | ||
| Track and Field | 11.2% | *** | Track and Field | 7% | |
| Wrestling | 22.3% | * | Volleyball | 11.6% |
Binge Drinking in Past Two Weeks
| Boys | % | Sig. | Girls | % | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 25.3% | — | Total (all respondents) | 17.1% | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 27.6% | * | Total (all athletes) | 17.9% | |
| Baseball/Softball | 30.3% | Baseball/Softball | 18.7% | ||
| Basketball | 28.1% | Basketball | 15.3% | ||
| Cross Country | 22.8% | Cheerleading | 20.5% | * | |
| Football | 32.3% | *** | Cross Country | 13.8% | |
| Lacrosse | 51.9% | *** | Lacrosse | 31.8% | * |
| Soccer | 29.2% | Soccer | 20.3% | ||
| Swimming and Diving | 26.7% | Swimming and Diving | 19.8% | ||
| Tennis | 25.8% | Tennis | 17.6% | ||
| Track and Field | 22% | ** | Track and Field | 16.1% | |
| Wrestling | 35.4% | *** | Volleyball | 18.4% |
Marijuana Use in Past 30 Days
| Boys | % | Sig. | Girls | % | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 25.7% | — | Total (all respondents) | 18.7% | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 25.6% | Total (all athletes) | 17.7% | ||
| Baseball/Softball | 23.4% | ** | Baseball/Softball | 18.2% | |
| Basketball | 27.9% | Basketball | 17.1% | ||
| Cross Country | 19.2% | Cheerleading | 17.6% | ||
| Football | 31.2% | *** | Cross Country | 10.9% | ** |
| Lacrosse | 45.4% | *** | Lacrosse | 22.1% | |
| Soccer | 25% | Soccer | 17% | ||
| Swimming and Diving | 29.7% | Swimming and Diving | 17.3% | ||
| Tennis | 24.5% | Tennis | 13.7% | * | |
| Track and Field | 19.9% | *** | Track and Field | 16.8% | |
| Wrestling | 30.8% | * | Volleyball | 16.7% |
Cut a Full Day of Class (Past Month)
| Boys | % | Sig. | Girls | % | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 29.4% | — | Total (all respondents) | 29.1% | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 29.5% | Total (all athletes) | 27.9% | ||
| Baseball/Softball | 28.7% | ** | Baseball/Softball | 26.5% | |
| Basketball | 29.4% | Basketball | 25.5% | ||
| Cross Country | 22% | Cheerleading | 28.7% | ||
| Football | 32% | * | Cross Country | 22.9% | |
| Lacrosse | 36.7% | ** | Lacrosse | 33.9% | |
| Soccer | 28.3% | Soccer | 27.8% | ||
| Swimming and Diving | 28.4% | Swimming and Diving | 27.5% | ||
| Tennis | 24.7% | Tennis | 25.6% | ||
| Track and Field | 22% | *** | Track and Field | 25.8% | |
| Wrestling | 34.6% | Volleyball | 28.2% |
Average Grade of A/A-
| Boys | % | Sig. | Girls | % | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 30.5% | — | Total (all respondents) | 40.7% | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 33.1% | *** | Total (all athletes) | 44.7% | *** |
| Baseball/Softball | 37.6% | ** | Baseball/Softball | 42.5% | |
| Basketball | 33.6% | Basketball | 45.8% | ||
| Cross Country | 47.1% | Cheerleading | 42.1% | ||
| Football | 28.2% | ** | Cross Country | 56.1% | ** |
| Lacrosse | 28.7% | * | Lacrosse | 50.1% | |
| Soccer | 36.3% | * | Soccer | 46.8% | |
| Swimming and Diving | 37.7% | Swimming and Diving | 44.2% | ||
| Tennis | 46.5% | *** | Tennis | 59.7% | *** |
| Track and Field | 36.3% | * | Track and Field | 48% | |
| Wrestling | 24.3% | ** | Volleyball | 49.3% | * |
Plans to Graduate From a Four-Year College
| Boys | % | Sig. | Girls | % | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 53% | — | Total (all respondents) | 67% | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 58.6% | *** | Total (all athletes) | 72.4% | *** |
| Baseball/Softball | 60.5% | ** | Baseball/Softball | 70% | |
| Basketball | 56.6% | Basketball | 71.4% | ||
| Cross Country | 65.9% | Cheerleading | 75.2% | *** | |
| Football | 55.2% | Cross Country | 77.1% | * | |
| Lacrosse | 61.6% | Lacrosse | 85% | ||
| Soccer | 61.3% | ** | Soccer | 75.5% | ** |
| Swimming and Diving | 58.7% | Swimming and Diving | 69.5% | ||
| Tennis | 70.9% | *** | Tennis | 86.7% | *** |
| Track and Field | 62.6% | *** | Track and Field | 73.7% | |
| Wrestling | 50.7% | Volleyball | 72.5% |
Self-Esteem (high score = high self-esteem)
| Boys | Mean | Sig. | Girls | Mean | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 4.11 | — | Total (all respondents) | 4.04 | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 4.19 | *** | Total (all athletes) | 4.1 | *** |
| Baseball/Softball | 4.33 | *** | Baseball/Softball | 4.06 | |
| Basketball | 4.28 | *** | Basketball | 4.19 | ** |
| Cross Country | 4.23 | Cheerleading | 4.17 | ** | |
| Football | 4.27 | *** | Cross Country | 4.13 | |
| Lacrosse | 4.25 | Lacrosse | 4.19 | ||
| Soccer | 4.27 | *** | Soccer | 4.09 | |
| Swimming and Diving | 4.23 | Swimming and Diving | 4.13 | ||
| Tennis | 4.28 | * | Tennis | 4.13 | |
| Track and Field | 4.23 | Track and Field | 4.15 | ||
| Wrestling | 4.11 | Volleyball | 4.12 |
Fatalism (high score = high fatalism)
| Boys | Mean | Sig. | Girls | Mean | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 2.3 | — | Total (all respondents) | 2.22 | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 2.24 | *** | Total (all athletes) | 2.17 | * |
| Baseball/Softball | 2.27 | Baseball/Softball | 2.15 | ||
| Basketball | 2.24 | ** | Basketball | 2.12 | |
| Cross Country | 2.23 | Cheerleading | 2.22 | ||
| Football | 2.27 | Cross Country | 1.97 | *** | |
| Lacrosse | 2.3 | Lacrosse | 2.06 | ||
| Soccer | 2.23 | Soccer | 2.19 | ||
| Swimming and Diving | 2.34 | * | Swimming and Diving | 2.19 | |
| Tennis | 2.14 | Tennis | 2.1 | ||
| Track and Field | 2.23 | Track and Field | 2.11 | ||
| Wrestling | 2.35 | Volleyball | 2.13 |
Self-Efficacy (high score = high self-efficacy)
| Boys | Mean | Sig. | Girls | Mean | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 3.68 | — | Total (all respondents) | 3.76 | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 3.73 | *** | Total (all athletes) | 3.81 | ** |
| Baseball/Softball | 3.78 | Baseball/Softball | 3.77 | ||
| Basketball | 3.76 | * | Basketball | 3.91 | *** |
| Cross Country | 3.84 | * | Cheerleading | 3.87 | * |
| Football | 3.73 | Cross Country | 3.9 | ||
| Lacrosse | 3.64 | Lacrosse | 3.89 | ||
| Soccer | 3.77 | * | Soccer | 3.76 | |
| Swimming and Diving | 3.83 | * | Swimming and Diving | 3.86 | |
| Tennis | 3.78 | Tennis | 3.9 | * | |
| Track and Field | 3.75 | Track and Field | 3.84 | ||
| Wrestling | 3.71 | Volleyball | 3.86 |
Loneliness (high score = high loneliness)
| Boys | Mean | Sig. | Girls | Mean | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 2.61 | — | Total (all respondents) | 2.85 | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 2.52 | *** | Total (all athletes) | 2.78 | ** |
| Baseball/Softball | 2.35 | *** | Baseball/Softball | 2.71 | * |
| Basketball | 2.44 | ** | Basketball | 2.66 | ** |
| Cross Country | 2.67 | Cheerleading | 2.85 | ||
| Football | 2.42 | *** | Cross Country | 2.77 | |
| Lacrosse | 2.4 | Lacrosse | 2.63 | ||
| Soccer | 2.46 | ** | Soccer | 2.75 | |
| Swimming and Diving | 2.6 | Swimming and Diving | 2.8 | ||
| Tennis | 2.51 | Tennis | 2.76 | ||
| Track and Field | 2.55 | Track and Field | 2.68 | ** | |
| Wrestling | 2.62 | Volleyball | 2.81 |
Self-Derogation (high score = high self-derogation)
| Boys | Mean | Sig. | Girls | Mean | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 2.07 | — | Total (all respondents) | 2.14 | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 1.99 | *** | Total (all athletes) | 2.06 | *** |
| Baseball/Softball | 1.86 | *** | Baseball/Softball | 2.05 | |
| Basketball | 1.92 | ** | Basketball | 1.99 | |
| Cross Country | 2.02 | Cheerleading | 2.04 | ||
| Football | 1.94 | *** | Cross Country | 1.98 | |
| Lacrosse | 1.99 | Lacrosse | 1.89 | * | |
| Soccer | 1.95 | ** | Soccer | 2.08 | |
| Swimming and Diving | 2.07 | Swimming and Diving | 2.06 | ||
| Tennis | 1.92 | Tennis | 2.05 | ||
| Track and Field | 1.99 | Track and Field | 1.98 | * | |
| Wrestling | 2.16 | * | Volleyball | 2.07 |
Social Support (high score = high social support)
| Boys | Mean | Sig. | Girls | Mean | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (all respondents) | 4.07 | — | Total (all respondents) | 4.17 | — |
| Total (all athletes) | 4.13 | *** | Total (all athletes) | 4.23 | *** |
| Baseball/Softball | 4.22 | * | Baseball/Softball | 4.26 | |
| Basketball | 4.15 | Basketball | 4.3 | * | |
| Cross Country | 4.19 | Cheerleading | 4.24 | ||
| Football | 4.14 | Cross Country | 4.23 | ||
| Lacrosse | 4.01 | * | Lacrosse | 4.43 | * |
| Soccer | 4.23 | *** | Soccer | 4.27 | * |
| Swimming and Diving | 4.24 | Swimming and Diving | 4.2 | ||
| Tennis | 4.12 | Tennis | 4.3 | ||
| Track and Field | 4.16 | Track and Field | 4.22 | ||
| Wrestling | 4.01 | Volleyball | 4.23 |
Sig. = p<.05*; p<.01**; p<.001***
All models control for age, race, parental education, urbanicity, (e.g., does respondent live in a MSA), region (e.g., does respondent live in the Northeast), and cohort (2010 – 2015).