Changes in developmental assets across a 4-month competitive season among youth basketball players

Abstract The present study examined the changes in developmental assets among young basketball players during a 4-month competitive period, accounting for variation by age group. Additionally, we examined the age-related variation on developmental assets. Sixty-five adolescent basketball players aged between 9.5 to 17.3 years were considered. We used the Portuguese version of the Developmental Assets Profile Questionnaire. Multilevel modeling was used to estimate the magnitude of changes on developmental assets across the 4-month competitive season, as well as aligning assets scores by chronological age. Positive values and positive identity scores were substantially increased after the 4-month competitive sample. The other assets scores showed no variation across the competitive 4-month competitive season, independent of age group. There was a trend of linear decrease in developmental assets as the adolescent players got older. For positive values, there was a non-linear trend with a higher decrease rate between about 10 to 14 years, levelling off thereafter. Developmental assets did not appear to be influenced by exposure to a period of organized training and competition among adolescent basketball players. Hence, the observed decrease on developmental assets when aligning by age may reflect the influence of contextual and cultural environments of practice. This is of particularly interest for positive values, which refer to school engagement or and social justice, qualities that are not sport-specific but assume a key and importance position in sport participation for a positive role in youth development.

摘要 本研究考察了4个月竞技周期内青少年篮球运动员的发展资产（developmental assets）变化情况，并分析了不同年龄组的差异。此外，本研究还探讨了发展资产随年龄的变化规律。本研究纳入65名年龄介于9.5至17.3岁的青少年篮球运动员，采用葡萄牙语版发展资产概况问卷（Developmental Assets Profile Questionnaire）开展数据收集。通过多层模型（multilevel modeling）估算4个月竞技赛季中发展资产的变化幅度，并按实足年龄对齐资产得分。结果显示，经过4个月的竞技周期后，正向价值观（positive values）与积极身份认同（positive identity）得分均有显著提升。其余资产得分在整个4个月竞技周期内未出现显著变化，且不受年龄组影响。青少年运动员的发展资产随年龄增长呈现线性下降趋势；其中正向价值观得分呈现非线性变化趋势，在约10至14岁区间下降幅度更大，之后趋于平稳。研究发现，青少年篮球运动员的发展资产并未受系统化训练与竞技赛事参与时长的影响。因此，按实足年龄对齐时观察到的发展资产下降现象，或可反映实践场景与文化环境的影响。这一点在正向价值观维度上尤为值得关注：该维度涵盖学业投入与社会公平等非运动专项特质，但在青少年体育参与中，其对青年积极发展具有关键且重要的作用。