The study hopes to examine the correlation between sports participation and acedemic performance. Previously, a positive correlation has been seen between sports participation and acedemic performance; however, the correlation did not guarantee causation. The effects of sports on acedemic performance still remain ambigious because, in reality, sports is assumed to decrease the amount of time available for studying and learning. In several research studies that were examined, sports were argued to increase student motivation and self-discipline. The data came from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which was conducted by the Carolina Populatiom Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The survey was administered to over 20,746 adolescents randomly selected from across the United States. The initial survey was conducted between April and December of 1995 and a follow-up survey was provided approximately an year later. The formula used to analyze the results was quite complex; however, it is evident that the researchers utilized t-tests in order analyze the statistical significance of the results. The results were also compared based on gender and race, in order to examine if sports participation had any influence on these arbitary categories. It examined that participation in an active sport one or two times per week is associated with 0.109 increase in math and english GPA. As the participation in sports per week increased, there was a continued increase in math and english GPA. The study showed that students who participate in sports have higher grades, greater college aspirations, and less difficulty completing homework or paying attention in class. However, the study also concluded that it can not be overstated there is a direct correlation between sports participation and acedemic performance because there is substantial causation behind unmeasured factors.
Citation: Rees, Daniel I., and Joseph J. Sabia. “Sports Participation and Academic Performance: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.”Economics of Education Review, vol. 29, no. 5, 2010, pp. 751–759., doi:10.1016/j.econedurev.2010.04.008.
