Sport and the prevention of substance use problems

1
Session 4

• Sport and the prevention of substance use
  problems

2
Benefits associated with sports

• W Brettschnneider, 1999
• Strong evidence that competitive sport results in
  more positive self esteem
• Found in physical, social and intellectual
  realms
• Greater resistance to stress.

3
Benefits associated with sports

• Page et al., 1998 surveyed 12,000 high school
  students (Gr. 9-12)
• No difference with non-athletes re drinking and
  binge drinking
• Significantly less likely to have ever used
  tobacco, cannabis, cocaine (M/F)
• Increased risk for steroid use and smokeless
  tobacco use (M)
• Participation in school sports increases
  opportunities to bond in positive way with peers
  and school.

4
Benefits associated with sports

• Bush, L, 2001 surveyed 400 inner city young teens
  (Gr. 7). Those that participated in coached team
  sports
• Had stronger self esteem (M/F)
• Didnt show any more aggression
• Used less cannabis (13 yr old M).
• Conclusion generally team sports meant positive
  behaviours need to be concerned with the very
  small number of girls playing organized sport.

5
Summary on benefits associated with sports

• Better self esteem
• More resistance to stress
• Better academic performance
• Better relationships with family.

6
When sport is not preventative

• J Leichliter, 1998 surveyed 51,000 US college
  students
• Athletes drank more per week (7.8 vs. 4.1
  drinks)
• More likely to binge drink (54 of athletes vs.
  36 non)
• Team leaders drank more, more problems
• Same for female athletes.
• Conclusion athletes work hard, play hard feel
  they are indestructible.

7
Sport is associated with advertising of licit
substances

• Sport is NOT associated with lower use rates with
  regard to alcohol and smokeless tobacco.
• Both substances are marketed through sports
  events and professional athletes.

8
When sport is not preventative

• T Crabb, 2000
• Soccer for too many young people in the UK is
  part of a whole weekend leisure culture - where
  the boundaries between sporting activity,
  deviance and drug use become blurred or even
  completely dissolved.

9
When sport is not preventative

• T Crabb, 2000 (continued)
• What makes sport attractive to many youth is the
  uncertainly, unpredictability, threat, fear and
  anxiety that go with it.
• Conclusion for this reason, games may quickly
  lose their charm if they are forced into the
  service of education, character development or
  social improvement.

10
Therefore

• Participation in sport activities is not
  preventive on its own.
• Still, sport activities have been used
  successfully as a substance abuse prevention
  strategy.
• What are the necessary elements?
• Let us discuss together!!!