They are still children: a scoping review of conditions for positive engagement in elite youth sport

Objective The objective of this study is to characterise the key factors that influence positive engagement and desirable developmental outcomes in sport among elite youth athletes by summarising the methods, groups and pertinent topical areas examined in the extant published research. Design Scoping review. Data sources We searched the databases SPORTDiscus, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science and Sports Medicine & Education Index for peer-reviewed, published in English articles that considered the factors influencing positive developmental outcomes for athletes under 18 years competing at a national and/or international level. Results The search returned 549 articles, of which 43 met the inclusion criteria. 16 studies used a qualitative approach, 14 collected quantitative data, 2 adopted mixed methods and 11 were reviews. Seven articles involved athletes competing in absolute skill contexts (ie, against the best athletes of any age) while the majority involved athletes competing in relative skill contexts (ie, against the best in a specific age or developmental group). The studies described the characteristics of the athletes, as well as their training, relationships with others, social and physical environments, and/or their overall developmental pathways. Conclusion Existing research on positive engagement in elite youth sport aligned with and mapped onto established models of positive development in youth sport more generally. Our findings further support that, while certain youth athletes may demonstrate extraordinary performance capabilities, they are still children who benefit from positive engagement prompted and reinforced by developmentally appropriate and supportive activities, relationships and environments.