Youth sport study 1995. Primary data.

Research Questions/Hypotheses:

Research Design:

Combined Standardized Survey Instruments (Combination of various standardized sections); single measurements

Measurement Instruments/Apparatus:

The questionnaire “Youth Sports Study 1995: Free Time, Sports, and Me” was used. A total of 110 questions, the questionnaire included multiple individual items directed at either the total sample or specific subgroups as identified using filter questions. The items were either based on established procedures or developed specifically for the study. Following an explanation and example of the different response formats, the first series of questions were posed:

1. Free time and youth groups (questions 1-16). Topics covered (a) the importance of free time activities (response format: 5-point Likert scale), (b) circle of friends (different response formats), (c) playing a musical instrument, (d) best friend, (e) opinion of youth groups (5-point Likert scale), (f) self-concept (25 items covering achievement, psychosocial self-concept, and general self-concept; answer format: 5-point Likert scale).
2. sports clubs (questions 17-40). Question 17 (sports-club status) presents the first essential filter question of the study by which currently active sports club members and volunteers, formerly active sports club members and volunteers, and those who have never been members of a sports club are directed to different sets of questions. The focus is on currently active sports club members. Questions covering type of sport, frequency of training at the club, training regime, activities and duties at the club, satisfaction with the, club equipment, and questions pertaining to the coach/trainer are posed using various closed-response formats. A final question covers reasons for terminating a club membership.
3. Former sports club membership (questions 41-59). Mostly, the same questions are covered as in section 2 using the past tense.
4. Sports club activities: What is your club involvement? (questions 61, 62). In regards to active and former sports club members, their time, activities, and successes within the club are covered using an open format.
5. Nonmembers of a sports club (questions 63-69). Questions cover why subjects never joined a club and whether they would ever join a club. Hobbies are also investigated. Answers are given in a mixed format.
6. Sports activities outside of a club (questions 70-84). All the subjects are asked about recreational and school sports activities. Types of sports, sport partners, sport venues and frequency of free time sport activities are covered. 3 questions cover school sport activities followed by a comparison of school and recreational sports. 19 items measure the significance of sport for moral concepts (response format: 5-point Likert scale). Finally, the family environment in relation to sporting activities is examined.
7. Personal information (questions 85 to 98). In addition to socio-demographic variables, body concept is measured with the help of 25 items. These items, which are recorded using a 5-point Likert scale, measure (a) acceptance of one’s body and its integration into self-experience, (b) striving towards physical attractiveness, (c) physical performance, (d ) physical attractiveness and aesthetics, (e) locus of control: appearance, and (f) locus of control: fitness as well as (g) sports performance competence.
8. What have you already experienced? (questions 99-110). These questions are mainly used for determine stressors using different scales: (a) psychosocial stressors, (b) complaints and diseases, (d) psychophysiological stress symptoms, (e) use of medication, (f) school/work stressors, (g) health locus of control, (h) family support (i), drug use, and (j) emotional stress symptoms. 2 final questions deal with acts of and attitudes toward violence. Precise information about the individual questions can be found at Endrikat and Tietjens (1999).

Data Collection Method:

Data collection in the presence of an experimenter

• Group Administration
• Paper and Pencil

Population:

German youths in grades 7-13 in both the new and old German states

Survey Time Period:

September 1995 – December 1995

Sample:

Klumpenstichprobe; Quotenstichprobe

Geschlechtsverteilung:

51,6% weibliche Probanden (n=1769)
48,4% männliche Probanden (n=1657)

Altersverteilung: 11-20 Jahre

Räumlicher Erfassungsbereich (Land/Region/Stadt): Deutschland/Nordrhein-Westfalen; Brandenburg

Subject Recruitment:

Approval received from respective ministries of education; Letter to the respective schools, teachers, and parents. No special strategies to motivate participation; Data collection conducted by Infratest Burke, Munich.

Sample Size:

3426 individuals

Return/Drop Out:

The survey sample, which was stratified by state, district, school structure, and grade levels, was reduced to a preplanned sample size. A matched “twin” control’s questionnaire answers, selected from the group who were initially culled to reduce the overall sample size, were used instead when a main sample-subject’s answer to the key question pertaining to sport club status could not be determined.