As a firm believer in the non-physical benefits of sports, I’m drawn to research which supports that stance. But even in a well-studied field, not all research stands on equal footing. In this article, I question the conclusions of a recent study and dig into what the evidence actually says about the relationship between participation in sports and the development of non-cognitive skills.
Does a Love for Sports Foster Non-Cognitive Skills?
Earlier this year, a headline in my Google alerts caught my attention: A “Love for Sports” Fosters Non-Cognitive Skills. It sounded like an ideal paper for some KineSophy-related content. After all, this site discusses the benefits of sports and exercise that go beyond the playing field or gym. The article in question is a press release from the Japanese sport and social business company Leifras. According to Leifras’s website, the company addresses social challenges through sports-focused social businesses. They mainly do so by running sports programs for schools and providing sports-based after-school programs for children with developmental issues.
Leifras’s Research Design
The article itself summarizes the results of a survey and analysis done by Leifras with students at the Hachioji City Takane Elementary School in Hachioji, Japan. Leifras researchers assessed 126 students using their Milabo non-cognitive skill measurement system, which measures five non-cognitive factors: 1) Courtesy and Etiquette, 2) Leadership, 3) Cooperativeness, 4) Self-Management and 5) Problem-Solving. They compared each student’s Milabo scores to their results from Japan’s standardized New Physical Fitness Test.
Leifras’s Conclusions
In analyzing the data, the researchers found that “a child’s level of non-cognitive skills and key character strengths is more closely linked to a positive ‘love for sports’ mindset than to actual physical athletic ability.” Specifically, correlation analysis between the total Milabo score and the question “Do you like playing sports?” resulted in a correlation coefficient of r = 0.34. By comparison, the correlation coefficient between the Milabo score and the Fitness Test results was only r = 0.21.
Based on these findings, Leifras concluded, “The study reveals that ‘liking sports (affinity for sports)’ is an important factor in improving non-cognitive skills, with a significant correlation coefficient.” The press release adds, “These results support that a strong motivation for sports activities plays a more important role in sustaining high levels of non-cognitive skills,” and “The results of this analysis have once again validated how Leifras’ education philosophy contributes to the growth of children.”
As I started reading the press release, I found myself nodding in agreement. Of course playing sports supports character development. Sport has many valuable lessons to teach us. And isn’t it wonderful that you don’t have to be the best athlete to learn those lessons? But by the time I finished, I had more questions than answers.
Faulty Conclusions
Consider the Source
Let’s start with the source. I’d never heard of Leifras before reading this article. But I think it’s safe to say they aren’t exactly a non-biased party in this matter. When pitching their programs to schools, it would help to have some hard evidence that supports their approach to education. Their interest in producing certain results isn’t enough to discredit their findings. It is possible to produce sound scientific research even if you have a vested interest in the outcome. But combined with the fact that this information is published in a corporate press release rather than a scientific journal, this potential bias is a red flag.
Correlation Does Not Imply Causation
The real issue is how the press release conflates correlation and causation. It starts with the title: “A ‘Love for Sports’ Fosters Non-Cognitive Skills: Latest Statistical Analysis Reveals Correlation Between Affinity for Sports and Non-Cognitive Skills.” The subtitle specifies that an affinity for sports is correlated with non-cognitive skills. The main title implies that love for sports is a causal factor. But given the reported data, there is an equally plausible explanation that students with strong non-cognitive skills like sports because sports allow them to use those strengths. It’s likely natural leaders enjoy leading on the soccer field just as much as they enjoy leading a school project.
Moreover, the press release states that the correlation coefficient between non-cognitive skills and love of sports was 0.34. That value indicates a moderate correlation. It is not a “a significant correlation coefficient” and does not support claims that the variables are “closely related,” as stated in the Leifras press release. And the data certainly does not warrant conclusions that a love of sports, “improves,” “develops” or “sustains” non-cognitive skills. The only conclusion that can be drawn from this piece of data is that students with strong non-cognitive skills are also moderately likely to enjoy playing sports.
Better Research on Sports and Non-Cognitive Skills
With all that said, I am still left to wonder: Would promoting affinity for sports improve non-cognitive skill development? Is there any benefit to encouraging a love of sport? Leifras’s overstated conclusions aside, I want to believe the answer to both questions is yes. After all, if more people enjoyed sports, it seems they would be more likely to play sports, and in doing so, reap the physical and non-physical benefits of physical activity. Of course, playing a sport is not the only way to achieve many of those benefits. Non-competitive exercise is one way. And many of the non-physical benefits of physical activity can also be achieved by education, psychotherapy, pharmaceuticals, etc.
But what does the evidence actually say? What would it look like to show that affinity for sports causes non-cognitive skill development? And to what extent does enjoying or partaking in sports cause any of the benefits attributed to those pursuits?
Randomized Controlled Trials
In scientific research, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is necessary to demonstrate a causal relationship. Researchers conducting an RCT randomly assign subjects to one of two groups. In the control group, researchers do not provide the subjects with any new variables. The idea is for the subjects to go through the trial period under normal conditions. In the treatment, test or investigational group, researchers provide subjects with a specific intervention or variable. If the treatment group undergoes significant change relative to the control group, the researchers can be relatively certain the change was caused by the intervention, because the intervention was the only difference between the two groups.
To use Leifras as an example, to show that love of sports caused the development of non-cognitive skills, the researchers would have to randomly assign the chosen student population to one of two different groups. The researchers would measure each subject’s love of sports and their non-cognitive skills at the beginning of the trial. They would then provide the treatment group with some intervention designed to increase those subjects’ love of sports. The control group would receive no intervention.
When the trial period ends, the researchers would again measure each subject’s love of sports and their non-cognitive skills. If the treatment group showed a significant increase in both metrics compared to the control group, the researchers could be reasonable certain an increased love of sports caused an improvement in non-cognitive skills. Obviously, that’s not what happened in the press release discussed in this article. But Leifras could use such an experimental design to test the effectiveness of its educational system.
Causal Effects of Sports Participation
That said, what do existing RCTs indicate about the relationship between sports and psychological traits or character development? Here’s a summary:
- Martial arts training programs for children and adolescents led to reduced depression and feelings of being left out, fewer conduct problems, and improved resilience, sociability, academic achievement, self-control, sleep quality, autonomy and social interaction.
- Researchers also observed the latter three effects among subjects who participated in ball sports.
- In addition to improving physical health, participation in an organized sports program increased labor force participation among students and improved interpersonal communication among adults.
- Organized basketball practice led to improved interpersonal relationships, self-identity and social adjustment in a study of Chinese students.
- And an after-school volleyball program reduced physical and verbal aggression among Finnish teenagers.
Clearly, there are many possible benefits to participating in a sport. And those benefits are not confined to a specific subset of sports.
Scientific Gray Areas
That said, there is no guarantee that participation in any sport will automatically improve character or other non-cognitive skills. While playing sports can lead to many positive character developments, the wrong sport or environment can make some athletes more brutal, power-hungry and violent. Getting the most out of sports seems to depend on having the right coaches, parental attitudes and community values.
There are many additional studies on associations between sports participation and traits like self-esteem, anxiety, stress, loneliness, attention, mental health, emotional well-being, drug use, aggression, prosocial and antisocial behavior, and juvenile delinquency. Most of these studies show a positive relationship between participation in sports and the trait being studied. But again, these studies do not prove causation, and the results are varied.
General Conclusions
Based on the current research, I think we can safely say the following:
- For the right athlete, playing the right sport under the right circumstances can be beneficial for developing non-physical qualities and non-cognitive character traits.
- Parents, coaches and athletes must take care that sport participation is teaching the desired lessons—on top of the physical benefits from playing a sport.
So maybe there is something to Leifras’s approach after all. Despite their spurious conclusions, there is strong additional evidence that a curated sports and character-focused educational program can prove beneficial. And if participants have the opportunity to find sports they enjoy, they will be more likely to realize any benefits sports have to offer. While Leifras’s own research is faulty, their program appears to be grounded on existing evidence.
Final Thoughts
As the father of a three-year-old daughter, I now see the world through the lens of a parent. Despite the limited value of the Leifras press release discussed in this article, I remain confident in the power of sports to improve physical health and develop character and other non-cognitive skills. But as a parent, I realize those outcomes are not automatic. Like so much of life, the people and environment around us matter. If we want to get the most out of sports for ourselves and our children, we need to seek out the right lessons in sports and find coaches and mentors who can translate lessons from the playing field to the rest of life.