The role of sports in overcoming aggression in children and adolescents

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of whether aggression in children and adolescents can be overcome by enrolment in sports activities. It reviews relevant literature regarding the potential role that individual and team sports have in this process. Aggressive behavior with years becomes more frequent and more diverse in its nature. Aggression among peers that was mainly manifested in physical and/or verbal forms mostly in school settings, in 21st century is present on social medias (Facebook, twitter, etc.) as well. Here, a major concern is that significant number of school-age children have access to some of these networks and are possible targets of bullers and other types of predators. According to relevant studies, extracurricular sports activities have significant influences on the changes in adolescents’ aggressive behavior with age. Therefore, active enrolment in sports activities could be considered as one important aspect in the intervention programmers aimed for diminishing aggression in children and adolescents.