Impact of community sports programs on youth mental health in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province

Abstract

Community sports programs have been shown to bring better outcomes across the lifespans of youth regarding physical, mental, social, and emotional health. They also built social relationships, developed coping mechanisms, and promoted mental resilience, highlighting the collective benefits of sports engagement for youth's mental health. This study aimed to determine the impact of community sports programs on youth mental health in Vhembe District. The study used a quantitative research strategy and a descriptive cross-sectional design. The target population of this study included all youth between the ages of 15-34 who participated in community sports programs. A simple random sampling method was used to select respondents. The validity and reliability of the instrument were strengthened by adopting a standardized assessment tool from the International Olympic Committee of Sport Mental Health. The researcher requested permission to collect data from the royal council, coaches, and team managers. The data were collected using a selfadministered questionnaire with close-ended questions from 150 respondents. Collected data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) V. 29.0. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as Frequency, multinominal logistic regression, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Correlations. The level of significance was set at P<0.05. The researcher ensured that research ethics were considered, including informed consent, permission, confidentiality, beneficence, and privacy. Results, conclusions, and recommendations were based on the findings, community sports participation is strongly associated with improved mental well-being and social interactions, yet gaps remain in skill development and teamwork enhancement. While sports programs offer mental health support, additional interventions are needed to translate this support into observable improvements. The study’s findings have practical implications for program design and policy formulation, emphasizing the need for integrated mental health support within community sports initiatives.