Sport, relationship with parents, deviant behaviours and victimization in adolescents in Europe: the results of the International Self-report Delinquency study 3 (ISRD 3)

Abstract

The study analyzes the European data collected by a questionnaire ‘ISRD-3’, administered to a sample of 54,273 young students from 7th to 9th grade. Specifically, the authors analyse the relationship among the answers about the relationship with parents, self-reported delinquency behaviours, and victimization, concerning playing sports or not. Students who play sports have a good relationship with their parents and feel supported, and when they disappoint them, they feel terrible. Playing sports is a protective factor compared to shoplifting, burglary, bicycle theft, motorbike/car theft, extortion, robbery, group fights, and drug dealing. Regarding the use of alcohol or drugs, the sport appears to be a protective factor concerning the use of soft and hard drugs. As far as victimization is concerned, those who practice sports appear to be victims of theft, extortion, discrimination, cyberbullying, and domestic violence to a lesser extent than those who do not practice any sport.