Mediating Factors in Martial Arts and Combat Sports: An Analysis of the Type of Martial Art,Characteristics,and Social Background of Young Participants
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online February, 2014
Mediating Factors in Martial Arts and Combat Sports: An Analysis of the Type of Martial Art,Characteristics,and Social Background of Young Participants
To date, most studies regarding the social-psychological effects of martial arts and combat sports (MA&CS) on young people focus on measuring effects without considering mediating factors. The aim of the present study was to analyze three mediating factors that might be influential when examining outcomes of MA&CS for youth (i.e., the type of MA&CS, participants' characteristics, and social background). Young MA&CS participants (N = 477, M age = 14.0 yr., SD = 2.13) practicing judo, aikido, kick-/Thai boxing or karate, as well as their parents (N = 307), were assessed in terms of their goal orientations, aggressiveness, psychosocial behavior, and social background. It was concluded that differences exist in the characteristics and social background of participants depending on the type of MA&CS being practiced. The fact that differences in these mediating factors can be identified indicates that in future research these and possible other mediating factors should be considered when trying to determine social-psychological outcomes of MA&CS.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AchenbachT. M. (1991) Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist/4-18 and 1991 profile. Burlington, VT: Univer. of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry.
2.
AmesC. (1992) Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84(3), 261–271.
3.
BjörkqvistK.VarhamaL. (2001) Attitudes toward violent conflict resolution among male and female karateka in comparison with practitioners of other sports. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 92, 586–588.
4.
BourdieuP. (1984) Distinction: A social critique of the judgement of taste. London, UK: Routledge.
5.
BussA. H.PerryM. (1992) The aggression questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63(3), 454–459.
6.
BussA. H.WarrenW. L. (2000) Aggression questionnaire: Manual. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.
7.
CoalterF. (2007) A wider social role for sport: Who's keeping the score?London, UK: Routledge.
8.
DanielsK.ThorntonE. (1990) An analysis of the relationship between hostility and training in the martial arts. Journal of Sports Sciences, 8, 95–101.
9.
DanielsK.ThorntonE. (1992) Length of training, hostility and the martial arts: A comparison with other sporting groups. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 26, 118–120.
10.
de KnopP.EllingA. (2000) Samenleving en sport [Society and sport]. Brussels, Belgium: Koning Boudewijnstichting.
11.
DudaJ. L. (2001) Goal perspective research in sport: Pushing the boundaries and clarifying some misunderstandings. In RobertsG. C. (Ed.), Advances in motivation in sport and exercise. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Pp. 129–182.
12.
DuthieR. B.HopeL.BarkerD. G. (1978) Selected personality traits of martial artists as measured by the adjective checklist. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 47, 71–76.
13.
EddehbiaH.van der PutteR. (2009) Vechten voor je toekomst [Fight for your future]. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: ACB Kenniscentrum.
14.
EdelmanA. J. (1994) The implementation of a video-enhanced aikido-based school violence prevention training program to reduce disruptive and assaultive behaviour among severely emotionally disturbed adolescents. Ed: Practicum, Nova Southeastern Univer., ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EC 3040227.
15.
EndresenI. M.OlweusD. (2005) Participation in power sports and antisocial involvement in preadolescent and adolescent boys. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 46(5), 468–478.
16.
GernigonC.Le BarsH. (2000) Achievement goals in aikido and judo: A comparative study among beginner and experienced practitioners. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 12(2), 168–179.
17.
GoodmanR. (1997) The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 581–586.
18.
GoodmanR.ScottS. (1999) Comparing the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist: Is small beautiful?Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 27(1), 17–24.
19.
GravetterF.ForzanoL. (2009) Research methods for the behavioral sciences. Wadsworth, OH: Cengage Learning.
20.
JonesG. W.MacKayK. S.PetersD. M. (2006) Participation motivation in martial artists in the West Midlands region of England. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 5, 28–34.
21.
KennettC. (2005) Sport, immigration and multiculturality: A conceptual analysis. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Centre d'Estudis Olimpics UAB: http://olympicstudies.uab.es/pdf/wp103_eng.pdf.
22.
KingL. A.WilliamsT. A. (1997) Goal orientation and performance in martial arts. Journal of Sport Behavior, 20(4), 397–412.
23.
KuanG.RoyJ. (2007) Goal profiles, mental toughness and its influence on performance outcomes among Wushu athletes. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 6, 28–33.
24.
KurianM.VerdiM. P.CaterinoL. C.KulhavyR. W. (1994) Relating scales on the Children's Personality Questionnaire to training time and belt rank in ATA Taekwondo. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 79, 904–906.
25.
LagendijkE. (1991) De zwarte band van ethnische minderheden. Over kleur, macht en kracht van lichaamscultuur [The black belt of ethnic minorities]. Vrijetijd en Samenleving, 9(2), 45–62.
26.
LakesK. D.HoytW. T. (2004) Promoting self-regulation through school-based martial arts training. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 25(3), 283–302.
27.
LamarreB. W.NosanchukT. A. (1999) Judo – the gentle way: A replication of studies on martial arts and aggression. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 88, 992–996.
28.
LeechN.BarrettK.MorganG. (2008) SPSS for intermediate statistics: Use and interpretation. London, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
29.
MahoneyJ.StattinH. (2000) Leisure activities and adolescent antisocial behavior: The role of structure and social background. Journal of Adolescence, 23, 113–127.
30.
MayallB. (2008) Conversations with children: Working with generational issues. In ChristensenP.JamesA. (Eds.), Research with children: Perspectives and practices. London, UK: Routledge. Pp. 109–123.
31.
MorrenM.MeestersC. (2002) Validation of the Dutch version of the Aggression Questionnaire in adolescent male offenders. Aggressive Behavior, 28, 87–96.
32.
MurisP.MeestersC.van den BergF. (2003) The Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Further evidence for its reliability and validity in a community sample of Dutch children and adolescents. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 12, 1–8.
33.
NangleD.HansenD.ErdleyC. (2010) Practitioner's guide to empirically based measures of social skills. New York: Springer.
34.
NichollsJ. G. (1984) Achievement motivation: Conceptions of ability, subjective experience, task choice, and performance. Psychological Review, 91, 328–346.
35.
NichollsJ. G. (1989) The competitive ethos and democratic education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univer. Press.
36.
NosanchukT. A.MacNeilM. L. C. (1989) Examination of the effects of traditional and modern martial arts training on aggressiveness. Aggressive Behavior, 15, 153–159.
37.
PatrikssonG. (1995) Scientific review part 2: The significance of sport for society – health, socialization, economy: A scientific review. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe Press.
38.
PetitpasA.CorneliusA.van RaalteJ.JonesT. (2005) A framework for planning youth sport programs that foster psychosocial development. The Sport Psychologist, 19, 63–80.
39.
ReynesE.LorantJ. (2001) Do competitive martial arts attract aggressive children?Perceptual & Motor Skills, 93(2), 382–386.
40.
ReynesE.LorantJ. (2002) Effect of traditional judo training on aggressiveness among young boys. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 94(1), 21–25.
41.
ReynesE.LorantJ. (2004) Competitive martial arts and aggressiveness: A 2-yr. longitudinal study among young boys. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 98(1), 103–115.
42.
RobertsG. C. (2001) Understanding the dynamics of motivation in physical activity: The influence of achievement goals on motivational processes. In RobertsG. C. (Ed.), Advances in motivation in sport and exercise. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Pp. 1–50.
43.
RobertsG. C.TreasureD. C.BalagueG. (1998) Achievement goals in sport: Development and validation of the perception of success questionnaire. Journal of Sports Sciences, 16, 337–347.
44.
RoquesC.SlotboomM.van BottenburgM. (2002) Marktverkenning Krachten bundelen [Marketing research joining forces]. AD's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands: W. J. H. Mulier Instituut.
45.
ScheerderJ.VanreuselB.TaksM. (2005) Stratification patterns of active sport involvement among adults. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 40, 139–162.
46.
SeigB. (2004) Gravitation versus change: Explaining the relationship between personality traits and martial arts training. Journal of Asian Martial Arts, 13(3), 8–23.
47.
ShieldsD. L. L.BredemeierB. J. L. (1995) Character development and physical activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
48.
SteynB.RouxS. (2009) Aggression and psychological well-being of adolescent taekwondo participants in comparison with hockey participants and a non-sport group. African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance, 15(1), 32–43.
49.
van der MeulenR.UlteeW. (2006) “Overbrugger of onderscheider?” Hoe frequent ontstaat interetnisch contact via het sportverenigingsleven in Nederland? [“Bridger or separator?” How frequently does the inter-ethnic contact occur through sports clubs in the Netherlands]. Tijdschrift voor Sociologie, 27(2), 109–130.
50.
van RobaeysB.VrankenJ.PerrinN.MartinielloM. (2007) Armoede bij personen van buitenlandse herkomst. Rapport van een onderzoek over de relatie tussen migratie en armoede [Poverty among people of foreign origin. Report of a study on the relationship between migration and poverty]. Brussels, Belgium: Koning Boudewijnstichting.
51.
VertonghenJ.TheeboomM. (2010) The social-psychological outcomes of martial arts practise among youth: A review. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 9, 528–537.
52.
VertonghenJ.TheeboomM.CloesM. (2012) Teaching in martial arts: The analysis and identification of teaching approaches in youth martial arts practice. Archives of Budo, 8(4), 191–202.
53.
WargoM.SpirrisonC.ThorneM.HenleyT. (2007) Personality characteristics of martial artists. Social Behavior and Personality, 35(3), 399–408.
54.
WeinmannW. (1997) Lexicon van de martial arts [Lexicon of the martial arts]. Rijswijk, The Netherlands: Elmar.
55.
WestbrookA.RattiO. (2001) Aikido and the dynamic sphere: An illustrated introduction. Boston, MA: Tuttle Publishing.
56.
WhiteS. A.DudaJ. L. (1994) The relationship of gender, level of sport involvement, and participation motivation to task and ego orientation. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 10, 398–408.
57.
ZarrettN.LernerR.CarranoJ.FayK.PeltzJ.LiY. (2008) Variations in adolescent engagement in sports and its influence on positive youth development. In HoltN. L. (Ed.), Positive youth development through sport. London, UK: Routledge. Pp. 9–23.
58.
ZivinG.HassanN.DePaulaG.MontiD.HarlanC.HossainK.PattersonK. (2001) An effective approach to violence prevention: Traditional martial arts in middle school. Adolescence, 36, 443–459.
