Özet:

In addition to family and school, out-of-school time constitutes one of the fundamental contexts of child and adolescent development. Sport activities during out-of-school times can provide positive influences on children’s physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development. In this study, the effects of sport participation on child and adolescent development, levels of participation in sports by students in Turkey, and the factors that affect participation were examined through a review of the literature. Research shows that children and adolescents’ participation in sport activities is necessary for their normal healthy physical development and that other areas and periods of development are positively influenced by participation in sports. It has been noted by both national and international studies that students in Turkey participate in sports at lower levels than their peers in other countries. According to studies conducted in Turkey, individual variables such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status, psychological variables such as motivation and expectations, and environmental factors such as physical infrastructure and social facilities can affect participation. In general, individual factors such as personal choice, commitment, and innate developmental capacity as well as environmental factors such as opportunities, experiences, and social climate play a decisive role in children and adolescents’ out-of-school time participation in sports activities. In conclusion, in order to ensure participation and persistence in sport activities, it will be useful to develop programs that can meet the needs of youth, identify motivations for engagement in sport, and conduct scientific and applied studies.

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