Estimation of Causal Relationships between Sport Experience in Athletic Clubs and Life Skills Acquisition

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate causal relationships reciprocally between sport experience in athletic clubs and life skills acquisition, through a three-wave panel study conducted at three-month intervals. Structural equation modeling on the cross-lagged effect model was conducted using panel data obtained from 173 students (93 males and 80 females) who completed questionnaires on sport experience in university athletic clubs (on self-disclosure, daily life guidance from leaders, challenge / achievement, support from others, and effort / endurance), and their level of acquisition of life skills (intrapersonal and interpersonal skills). The results suggested that (1) self-disclosure, support from others, and effort / endurance each had positive causal effects on interpersonal skills acquisition, (2) intrapersonal and interpersonal skills each had positive causal effects on self-disclosure and challenge/achievement experience, (3) there was no causal relationship between daily life guidance from leaders and life skills, and (4) a positive cycle of causality existed between self-disclosure and interpersonal skills. In conclusion, this longitudinal research supported previous studies in sport psychology which supposed that sport experience promotes life skills acquisition, and suggested that a reciprocal causal relationship existed between sport experience in athletic clubs and life skills.