TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-determination through circus arts
T2 - Exploring youth development in a novel activity context
AU - Agans, Jennifer P.
AU - Davis, Jacqueline L.
AU - Vazou, Spyridoula
AU - Jarus, Tal
N1 - Funding Information:
The research reported in this manuscript was conducted while the second author was a graduate student at the University of British Columbia. This research was supported in part through the second author’s Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Doctoral Fellowship, and University of British Columbia International Tuition Award, Faculty of Graduate Studies Award, and Four Year Fellowship.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Youth development takes place in many contexts, with different resulting participant outcomes. Broadening the scope of research to include non-traditional contexts such as youth circus arts programs, which are both similar to and different from other out-of-school-time contexts, may promote better understanding of the ways in which these programs impact youth development. The present study examined the prevalence of support for basic psychological needs and positive developmental outcomes among youth circus program participants. Single time-point quantitative surveys were completed by 111 youth members of the American Youth Circus Organization (62% female), ranging in age from 10 to 21. Results indicated psychological need support predicted positive developmental outcomes. Relatedness was the strongest predictor of intrinsic motivation, affect, and positive youth development. This study illustrates a novel way in which physical activity and youth development can be integrated in youth programs. It contributes to the understanding of youths’ self-determined motivation in physical activities and points to the importance of examining under-studied youth activity contexts such as circus arts.
AB - Youth development takes place in many contexts, with different resulting participant outcomes. Broadening the scope of research to include non-traditional contexts such as youth circus arts programs, which are both similar to and different from other out-of-school-time contexts, may promote better understanding of the ways in which these programs impact youth development. The present study examined the prevalence of support for basic psychological needs and positive developmental outcomes among youth circus program participants. Single time-point quantitative surveys were completed by 111 youth members of the American Youth Circus Organization (62% female), ranging in age from 10 to 21. Results indicated psychological need support predicted positive developmental outcomes. Relatedness was the strongest predictor of intrinsic motivation, affect, and positive youth development. This study illustrates a novel way in which physical activity and youth development can be integrated in youth programs. It contributes to the understanding of youths’ self-determined motivation in physical activities and points to the importance of examining under-studied youth activity contexts such as circus arts.
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U2 - 10.5195/jyd.2019.662
DO - 10.5195/jyd.2019.662
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85075417165
SN - 2325-4009
VL - 14
SP - 110
EP - 129
JO - Journal of Youth Development
JF - Journal of Youth Development
IS - 3
ER -