Cutting through the political rhetoric about the power of sport as a tool for social change and personal improvement, this book offers insight into how and why participating in sport can be good for children and young people. As the first text to focus on the role of sport in positive youth development (PYD), it brings together high-profile contributors from diverse disciplines to examine critically the ways in which sport can be used to promote youth development.

Now in a fully updated, revised and expanded new edition, Positive Youth Development through Sport covers a wider range of disciplines including sport psychology, development psychology, physical education, sport development and sport sociology. Its three main sections focus on:






the theoretical and historical contexts of PYD



quantitative and qualitative methods for assessing PYD in sport



the potential of PYD in sport across different ages and abilities.

With expanded guidance on how to apply positive youth development in practice, this is essential reading for all students, researchers, educators, practitioners and policy makers with an interest in youth sport.