ROLE OF SPORTS IN BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION OF YOUTH IN KADUNA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE

ABSTRACT

The study examined Role of Sports in Behaviour Modification of Youth in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Objectively, five research questions were formulated. The survey design was used in the study. The sample size was 333. 333 questionnaires were administered to the respondents, but 296 were answered correctly. So 296 questionnaires were used in the study. The data gathered were analysed using simple percentage, frequency and mean. The studies revealed that in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State the causes of deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes are financial pressure, pressure from coach, lack of moral code, following deviant role models and pressure to win; the forms of deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes are bullying, hazing, fighting, use of abusive language and telling of lies; the consequences caused by deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes are damaging of sport reputation, punishment and bans, loss of credibility, loss of trust by fans and becoming a negative role model; the roles of sport in behaviour modification among youths-athletes are relaxation enhancement, stress reduction, sleep improvement, primary therapy in managing a multitude of disorders and participation enhancement in physical activity. Based on the findings, the researcher concluded and recommended that the strategies that can be adopted in behaviour modification of youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State are punishment by giving yellow cards or red cards to deny athletes chances of continuing to play, behavioural contracting to control indiscipline, giving reinforcement for good behaviour, using time-outs strong enough to motivate the athlete perform the desired behaviour and using reward system to motivate athletes respectively.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

Human society subscribes to the tenets of good behaviour among the citizenry. Josephson (2019) described a person’s behaviour as his/her dispositions, values, and habits that determine the way that person responds to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities, failures and successes in life. A positive behaviour comprises practice of acts such as respect, honesty, fairness, reliability and openness (Stoll and Beller, 2021). On the other hand, negative behaviour comprises anti-social and unethical practices such as dishonesty, unhealthy competition and aggression, cheating and doping (Yanklowitz, 2019). David and Miller (2018) and DeRoche (2020) observe that behaviour is neither inherited nor is it about reputation. It is about offering a youth the opportunities to clarify, reflect, decide and practice virtues such as respect, responsibility, perseverance, honesty, ethical problem solving and decision making. Good behaviour should therefore be nurtured and bad behaviour corrected (David & Miller, 2018). CorneliBen and Pfeifer (2019) indicated that sports help in transforming the behaviour of young people through its teaching of behavioral habits such as motivation, confidence and perseverance. Thus, sports can provide for opportunities for youths to learn skills that are in line with the six pillars of behaviour namely; trustworthy, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and good citizenship (Arizona Sports Summit Accord, 2019). Ong’ong’a et al. (2020) concurred that participation in sports is a ground for acquisition of desirable behaviour traits such as fair play and spirit of sportsmanship, noting that youth-athletes had fewer discipline cases, were responsible and more law-abiding.

Sports are delicately interwoven within the institutions of learning in our society (Fullinwider, 2018). Sports competitions are regularly held at all levels of education, especially in high school, colleges and universities. Besides the enrichment of high school experiences, they aid in fulfillment of the education mission of nurturing positive behaviour traits such as sportsmanship, fair play, teamwork, respect, citizenship, health and welfare of all youths (Fullinwider, 2018). Bredemeier and Shields (2018) assert that sports can empower the youth with the core values of the society which is a major component of the behaviour modification outcome. Moreover, participation in sports is important in teaching youths a wide range of positive social outcomes including reduced youth crime, reduced truancy, improved physical fitness and being active citizens (Yanklowitz, 2019). It is therefore evident that school sports are powerful agents of socialization that may, under the right circumstances, have positive influence on the youth (President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports [PCPFS], 2018; Sport England, 2019; Yanklowitz, 2019). However, Bredemeier and Shields (2018) observe that, contrary to the belief that ‘sports build character’, behaviour is taught and learned in a sports setting thus the setting provides an enabling environment for behaviour modification. In some cases, sports teams emphasize on or even allow for modification of behaviour vices such as aggressiveness, unhealthy competition, deviance, bullying, violence, fighting, and other unsportsmanlike conduct (Edmudson, 2019; Fullinwider, 2018; Yanklowitz, 2019). Additionally, negative behaviour may be adopted from peer pressure and lack of cooperation skills as well as from modeling bad examples. Camiré and Trudel (2020) found that majority of athletes in high school settings appear to believe that social behaviour best describes the modification that occurs in sport and that gamesmanship is employed and legitimized as being part of the game. Furthermore, negative behaviour aspects such as risky substance abuse which are rampant in uncontrolled sports settings (Callender, 2020) can erode the benefits of sports such as building the healthy body, creating a stronger resilient will power, imparting confidence and stimulating bravery (Edmudson, 2019). Fights also happen among fans and spectators (Houlihan, 2019), compounding potential of negative outcome of sports experiences.

It is clear that behaviour outcomes of sports participation can be positive or negative. Therefore, it is against the background that the study seeks to examine the role of sports in behaviour modification of youths in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

The notion that participation in sports is effective for promotion of behaviour has been in existence since ancient times (Bredemeier & Shield, 2018). Besides muscle modification, behaviour modification is widely believed to be acquired through participation in sports (Edmudson, 2019). Consequently, school administrators have encouraged students to participate in competitive sports as a way of acquiring desirable behaviour traits (PCPFS, 2018). However, in some cases, sports teams emphasize on or even allow for modification of behaviour vices such as aggressiveness, unhealthy competition, deviance, bullying, violence, fighting, and other unsportsmanlike conduct (Edmudson, 2019; Ekeh, 2019; Fullinwider, 2018; Priest, Krause & Beach, 2019; & Yanklowitz, 2019). Additionally, negative behaviour may be adopted from peer interaction and lack of cooperation skills. Moreover, the benefits such as building healthy body, creating a stronger resilient will power, imparting confidence and stimulating bravery (Edmudson, 2019) are eroded by negative behaviour aspects such as risky substance abuse (Callender, 2020). Fights also happen among fans and spectators (Houlihan, 2019).

Despite continued participation in competitive sports in secondary schools, students are increasingly becoming deviant in and out of the field and this has a negative impact on education, politics and economics aspects. This leads to enormous wastage of material resources, man power, time and even human life (Bredemeier and Shields, 2018; Kombo, 2019; Stoll and Beller, 2021; Njoroge, 2018). Although these studies looked at psychosociological aspects among youths, no study concerning the influence of participation in sports on behaviour modification had been conducted hitherto. These deviant behaviours have been observed among youths in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State. This study, therefore, sought to establish the role of sports in behaviour modification of youth in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

1.3     Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to examine the role of sports in behaviour modification of youth in Kaduna North Local Government Area.

The specific objectives of the study are to:

1. Identify the causes of deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
2. Find out the forms of deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
3. Examine the consequences caused by deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
4. Examine the role of sport in behaviour modification among youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area.
5. Find out the strategies that can be adopted in behaviour modification of youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area.

1.4     Research Questions

            The following research questions are to guide the study:

1. What are the causes of deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State?
2. What are the forms of deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State?
3. What are the consequences caused by deviant behaviour in sports among youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State
4. What is the role of sport in behaviour modification among youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area?
5. What are the strategies that can be adopted in behaviour modification of youths-athletes in Kaduna North Local Government Area?

1.5     Significance of the Study

Studies that have been done about participation in competitive sports concerning youths in Kaduna North Local Government Area have focused more on academic attainment. So far no study has been conducted to determine the role of sports in behaviour modification among youths in Kaduna North Local Government Area. The results of the study helped to understand whether participation in competitive sports influences behaviour modification among youths in Kaduna North Local Government Area.

This study is expected to be significant to several stakeholders, such as Ministry of Youths and Sports, Youth Sport Association Officials, school administrators, parents, community, students/researchers, government and government agencies.

This study’s findings are of benefit to the Ministry of Youths and Sports by getting an insight into the role played by sports on positive behaviour modification of youths.

By highlighting the contextual factors that influence, the study’s findings informs the Youth Sports Association officials to insist on the need for good behaviour as they hold pre-participation briefs.

The findings of this study will help community on how to check the continue occurrence of the negative behaviour of youths during sports competition.

Additionally, the findings may be utilized by the school administrators to use sports participation as a platform to insist on the desirable behaviour traits expected for all youths. Parents may as well use the findings of this study to encourage their daughters/sons to add effort on participation in competitive sports for positive behaviour modification.

It will also help and be a valuable source of academic and policy material on the existing body of knowledge on the subject of behaviour modification in Nigeria and its role among youths as other researchers can as well build and borrow a leaf from it while carrying out similar research.

Moreover, literature that is availed by this study is of benefit in providing for an existing gap in the understanding of the role of sports participation on behaviour modification of youths in Nigeria.

1.6     Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is delimited to Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State and is on the Role of Sports in Behaviour Modification of Youths in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

1.7     Operational Definition of Terms

Behaviour Modification: This can be referred to as the techniques used to try and decrease or increase a particular type of behavior or reaction. 

Behaviour: Composite of good moral qualities that include firmness of belief, resolution and practice of such moral values as integrity/honesty, sense of responsibility, respect, sportsmanship and good citizenship. It is conducting oneself in socially acceptable manner.

Role: A Socially expected behaviour pattern usually determined by an individual’s status in a particular society.

Sport: Form of physical activity or game.

Youth: Young people

Tagged with: Behaviour, Behaviour Modification, Sport, Youth