{"paper_id":"4158ba08-8507-4a9c-b24c-7c136397a85a","body_text":"Organized Sport Participation and Stress-Related Motivation for Physical Activity among Chilean Children and Adolescents: A National Cross-Sectional Study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Organized Sport Participation and Stress-Related Motivation for Physical Activity among Chilean Children and Adolescents: A National Cross-Sectional Study Josivaldo De Souza-Lima, Claudio Farias-Valenzuela, Rodrigo Yáñez-Sepúlveda, and 8 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503202/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Aim: To examine the association between participation in organized sport and stress-related motivation for physical activity among Chilean children and adolescents aged 5–17 years, using nationally representative data. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 4,150 participants in the 2024 National Physical Activity and Sport Survey. Organized sport participation was defined as engagement in school-based or extracurricular sport activities (yes/no). Stress-related motivation for physical activity was assessed by self-report (yes/no). Multivariable logistic regression models estimated odds ratios adjusted for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and area of residence. Sensitivity analyses evaluated robustness under alternative outcome coding’s. Results: Overall, 59.9% of participants reported engagement in organized sport, with higher participation observed in urban areas and higher socioeconomic groups. Stress-related motivation was reported by 39.4% of non-participants compared with 23.8% of organized sport participants. Participation in organized sport was associated with significantly lower odds of endorsing stress-related motivation (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.44–0.60; p < 0.001), independent of sociodemographic factors. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the consistency of this association (OR range: 0.51–0.65). Conclusion: Participation in organized sport was inversely associated with endorsing stress relief as a primary motivation for physical activity. Rather than contradicting the mental health value of sport, this pattern suggests that organized sport may operate through alternative psychosocial pathways, such as social integration and competence development. These findings highlight the importance of addressing access disparities and integrating mental health–promoting components within youth sport programs. Organized sport Physical activity Stress motivation Children Adolescents Chile Introduction Physical activity during childhood and adolescence is widely recognized as a key determinant of physical, psychological, and social health. Beyond its well-established benefits for cardiometabolic health and physical fitness, regular physical activity has been associated with improved emotional well-being, stress regulation, and mental health outcomes among young people (Bjornara et al. 2021, Jackson, Prochnow, and Ettekal 2024, Meyers, Whelan, and Murphy 1996). In this context, understanding not only the amount and type of physical activity, but also the underlying motivations for participation, has become increasingly relevant for public health research and policy. Organized sport represents one of the most common and structured forms of physical activity among children and adolescents. Participation in organized sport whether school-based or extracurricular has been linked to multiple positive outcomes, including social integration, discipline, self-esteem, and academic engagement (Bruner et al 2020, Saevarsson et al. 2021, Sørlie 2021). However, organized sport differs conceptually from non-organized or leisure-time physical activity, as it often involves formal rules, performance expectations, adult supervision, and competitive elements, which may shape not only participation patterns but also the motivational drivers underlying engagement (Vella and Schweickle 2020). Stress-related motivation for physical activity, such as practicing relaxing or reducing stress, reflects an important psychological dimension of behavior. In adolescents in particular, stress has been identified as a growing public health concern, influenced by academic demands, social relationships, and environmental factors (de Souza Lima et al. 2024, Vaquero Solis et al. 2019, Kokko et al. 2019). Physical activity may function as a coping strategy to manage stress, yet the extent to which organized sport fulfills this role remains unclear, with some evidence suggesting that participants may prioritize other motivators like competition or social bonds over stress relief (Kristiansen, Roberts, and Abrahamsen 2008). Recent studies from the United States have highlighted the mental health benefits of organized sports participation in youth, showing associations with reduced anxiety and depression symptoms. For instance, team-based sports have been linked to lower mental health difficulties, including decreased social and thought problems, potentially due to the supportive group dynamics involved (Black et al. 2010, Hoffmann et al. 2022, Upenieks, Ryan, and Knoester 2024). These findings underscore how structured sports environments can foster resilience against stress, though motivational aspects vary by individual and contextual factors. In Europe, a growing body of evidence highlights that sustained engagement in organized and strategic sports yields distinct psychological and cognitive advantages for adolescents. Regular participation in cognitively demanding team sports such as football, basketball, or volleyball has been shown to enhance executive functions, including inhibitory control and working memory, while promoting adaptive stress management strategies (Wang et al. 2025, Marchetti et al. 2015). Furthermore, adolescents who consistently engage in structured sport settings exhibit lower levels of cognitive anxiety and demonstrate more positive coping styles when facing stressors, suggesting a greater resilience and emotional regulation capacity (Basiaga-Pasternak 2018). Collectively, these findings indicate that chronic involvement in strategic sports not only provides acute reductions in anxiety but also facilitates a long-term motivational shift toward psychological growth, cognitive flexibility, and sustained well-being extending beyond the temporary relief commonly associated with exercise. In Latin America, growing research highlights the crucial role of physical activity and organized sports in promoting children’s emotional and social well-being. Evidence from Spain and Brazil indicates that greater engagement in structured sports is linked to better emotional regulation, improved mood states, and enhanced coping with stress, especially when supported by parental modeling and encouragement (Camargo et al. 2023, Amado-Alonso et al. 2019, de Souza-Lima et al. 2025). Moreover, studies among Mexican-origin adolescents suggest that participation in family-based or organized activities fosters emotional support and cohesion within the home environment, mitigating stress related to school and family contexts (Tsai, Gonzales, and Fuligni 2016). Together, these findings underscore that sport participation not only reduces school-related stress but also promotes positive psychosocial adaptation in diverse sociocultural settings across Latin America. In Spain, empirical evidence illustrates the strong interplay between academic stress, self-esteem, and organized sport participation among adolescents. Engagement in extracurricular and team-based sports has been linked to improved self-perception, emotional regulation, and reduced stress levels, with clear moderating effects of gender, age, and sport type (Moral-García et al. 2021, Gomez-Baya, R Mendoza, and Tomico 2018). Moreover, motivational climate research shows that when sports contexts emphasize task-oriented goals and intrinsic motivation, adolescents report lower life and academic stress and higher school engagement (Castro-Sanchez et al. 2019). These findings reveal that organized activities act as protective environments, fostering psychological resilience and buffering the effects of educational pressure, while also reflecting how territorial and gender inequalities shape access to sport and its associated benefits. Using nationally representative data from the 2024 National Survey of Physical Activity and Sport, this study aimed to examine the association between participation in organized sport and stress-related motivation for physical activity among children and adolescents aged 5-17 years. Specifically, we assessed (i) the prevalence of organized sport participation across sociodemographic groups, (ii) differences in stress-related motivation according to organized sport participation, overall and by area of residence, and (iii) the independent association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation after adjusting for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and urban-rural residence. By addressing these objectives, this study seeks to contribute evidence relevant for the design of physical activity and sport promotion strategies that are responsive to both behavioral and mental health dimensions in young populations. Methods Study design and data source This study used data from the National Physical Activity and Sport Survey 2024 (ENAFyD 2024), a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey conducted in Chile by the Undersecretariat of Sport. The ENAFyD 2024 was designed to monitor physical activity behaviors, sport participation, and related psychosocial factors among the Chilean population. The present analysis focused on children and adolescents aged 5-17 years, using the standardized questionnaire administered to this age group. Data collection was carried out through structured interviews conducted by trained fieldworkers following standardized protocols. Study population The initial analytical sample included 4,150 children and adolescents with valid information on sociodemographic characteristics and organized sport participation. For regression analyses involving stress-related motivation for physical activity, the sample was restricted to participants with non-missing information on the outcome variable, resulting in a complete-case analytical sample of 2,651 participants. Variables Organized sport participation Organized sport participation was defined as engagement in school-based and/or extracurricular organized physical activity or sport. A binary variable was created indicating participation in at least one organized sport context (Yes/No). This variable was used as the main exposure in all analyses. Stress-related motivation for physical activity Stress-related motivation for physical activity was derived from a questionnaire item asking participants whether they practiced physical activity or sport to relax or reduce stress. Responses were recorded into a binary outcome variable: Yes: reported practicing physical activity to relax or reduce stress No: did not report this motivation Participants with missing responses on this item were excluded from regression analyses but retained in descriptive analyses, where missingness was reported explicitly. Sociodemographic covariates The following covariates were included based on theoretical relevance and prior literature: Sex (female, male) Age group, categorized as 5-11 years and 12-17 years Socioeconomic status, classified into low, middle, and high, based on the official ENAFyD household socioeconomic index Area of residence, categorized as urban or rural, derived from the official ENAFyD geographic classification All covariates were treated as categorical variables in the analysis. Statistical analysis Descriptive statistics were calculated using absolute frequencies (n) and percentages (%), based on non-missing observations. Sample characteristics were summarized overall and stratified by organized sport participation. Bivariate associations between organized sport participation and sociodemographic characteristics were examined using cross-tabulations, with results presented as column percentages. The association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation for physical activity was first explored descriptively and then evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. The primary adjusted model included organized sport participation as the main exposure and was adjusted for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and area of residence. Interaction terms were explored descriptively through stratified analyses by area of residence (urban/rural). All analyses were conducted using unweighted data, consistent with the objectives of association estimation rather than population prevalence inference. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Analyses were performed using Python (pandas, stats models). Ethics approval and consent to participate The ENAFyD 2024 survey was reviewed, approved, and ethically validated by the Ethics Committee in accordance with the technical bases of the public tender issued by the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport (ID: 799595-2-LQ24). The Ethics Committee confirmed compliance with ethical, technical, and professional standards throughout data collection and analysis. Written informed consent was obtained from parents or legal guardians, and assent was obtained from all participating children and adolescents. Participation was voluntary, and data confidentiality and anonymity were strictly maintained. Results Sample characteristics The analytical sample comprised 4,150 children and adolescents aged 5-17 years from the Encuesta Nacional de Actividad Física y Deporte 2024 (ENAFyD 2024) . The sex distribution was balanced, with 50.5% females and 49.5% males. Slightly more than half of the sample corresponded to children aged 5-11 years (52.3%), while 47.7% were adolescents aged 12–17 years. Regarding socioeconomic status, nearly half of the participants belonged to low socioeconomic status households (48.6%), followed by middle (34.7%) and high (16.7%) socioeconomic strata. Most participants resided in urban areas (83.8%), with 16.2% living in rural settings. Detailed sample characteristics are presented in Table 1. Table 1. Sample characteristics of children and adolescents (ENAFyD 2024) Variable n % Sex Female 2,096 50.5 Male 2,054 49.5 Age group (years) 5-11 2,172 52.3 12-17 1,978 47.7 Socioeconomic status Low 2,018 48.6 Middle 1,440 34.7 High 692 16.7 Area of residence Urban 3,477 83.8 Rural 673 16.2 Note: Percentages calculated among non-missing observations. Analyses based on data that are unweight. Overall, 59.9% of the sample reported participation in at least one form of organized sport, including school-based and/or extracurricular organized activities. Patterns of organized sport participation across sociodemographic groups are summarized in Table 2. Participation rates were broadly similar between girls and boys, with no marked sex differences observed. Likewise, organized sport participation was comparable between children aged 5-11 years and adolescents aged 12-17 years, indicating relatively stable engagement across developmental stages. Across socioeconomic strata, participation showed modest variation, with slightly higher prevalence among participants from high socioeconomic status households compared with middle and low strata. Table 2. Organized sport participation by sociodemographic characteristics Characteristic Category Organized sport: No n (%) Organized sport: Yes n (%) Sex Female 1,214 (51.6) 882 (49.1) Male 1,138 (48.4) 916 (50.9) Age group (years) 5-11 1,257 (53.4) 915 (50.9) 12-17 1,095 (46.6) 883 (49.1) Socioeconomic status Low 388 (16.5) 304 (16.9) Middle 842 (35.8) 598 (33.3) High 1,122 (47.7) 896 (49.8) Area of residence Rural 441 (18.8) 232 (12.9) Urban 1,911 (81.2) 1,566 (87.1) Note: Percentages are calculated within columns of organized sport participation. Analyses are unweighted. Clearer differences emerged by area of residence. Children and adolescents living in urban areas showed a higher prevalence of organized sport participation compared with those residing in rural areas, although most participants in both groups reported engagement in organized sport. The distribution of stress-related motivation for physical activity, defined as reporting participation in physical activity or sport to relax or reduce stress , is presented in Table 3, overall and stratified by area of residence. Table 3. Stress-related motivation for physical activity by organized sport participation, overall and by area of residence Organized sport participation Stress-related motivation Overall n (%) Urban n (%) Rural n (%) No Yes (relax/reduce stress) 708 (39.4) 621 (39.7) 87 (37.5) No 693 (29.5) 573 (30.0) 120 (27.2) Missing 837 (35.6) 665 (34.8) 172 (39.0) Yes Yes (relax/reduce stress) 428 (23.8) 363 (23.2) 65 (28.0) No 822 (34.9) 673 (35.2) 149 (33.8) Missing 662 (36.8) 582 (37.2) 80 (34.5) Note: Percentages are calculated within each organized sport participation category. Missing corresponds to participants who did not clearly endorse or reject stress-related motivation. Overall, stress-related motivation was more frequently reported among participants who did not engage in organized sport compared with those who did. This pattern was consistent across urban and rural areas. In both settings, the proportion of children and adolescents reporting stress-related motivation was lower among those participating in organized sport than among non-participants. Missing responses to the stress-related motivation item accounted for approximately one-third of the sample and were similarly distributed across organized sport participation categories, suggesting no strong differential pattern of non-response by sport engagement. Results from multivariable logistic regression analyses are presented in Table 4. Analyses were conducted among participants with non-missing information on stress-related motivation (N = 2,651) and adjusted for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and area of residence. Table 4. Multivariable logistic regression analysis of stress-related motivation for physical activity Variable Odds Ratio (OR) 95% CI p-value Organized sport participation (Yes vs No) 0.51 0.44-0.60 <0.001 Sex (Male vs Female) 0.94 0.81-1.10 0.472 Age group (12-17 vs 5-11 years) 0.96 0.83-1.13 0.648 Socioeconomic status (Middle vs High) 0.99 0.78-1.26 0.954 Socioeconomic status (Low vs High) 0.84 0.67-1.06 0.137 Area of residence (Urban vs Rural) 0.89 0.72-1.10 0.293 Note : ORs and 95% CIs from multivariable logistic regression adjusted for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and area of residence (N = 2,651; unweighted data). Participation in organized sport was independently associated with lower odds of reporting stress-related motivation for physical activity. Specifically, children and adolescents engaged in organized sport had approximately 49% lower odds of reporting participation in physical activity to relax or reduce stress compared with non-participants (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.44-0.60; p < 0.001). No statistically significant associations were observed for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, or area of residence in the adjusted model. The direction and magnitude of the association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation remained stable after adjustment, indicating minimal confounding by the included covariates. Sensitivity analyses To assess the robustness of the main findings, a series of sensitivity analyses were conducted using alternative coding’s of the stress-related motivation outcome, including treating missing responses as either “no” or “yes” and inverting the outcome definition. Results from these analyses are presented in Online Resource 1. Across all plausible scenarios, the association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation remained consistent in direction and magnitude, with odds ratios ranging from approximately 0.51 to 0.65. No alternative specification yielded an association close to the null. These findings support the robustness of the main analysis and indicate that the observed association is not driven by outcome coding or treatment of missing data. Discussion This study aimed to examine whether participation in organized sport is associated with stress-related motivational patterns for physical activity among Chilean children and adolescents. The present findings are consistent with population-based evidence indicating that participation in organized sport is differentially associated with mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. National surveillance data from the United States show that adolescents participating in one or more sports teams had a 34% lower likelihood of reporting depressive symptoms compared with non-participants (aOR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.55–0.78), an effect stronger than that observed for general physical activity alone (Wang and Peiper 2022). Similarly, large-scale analyses from the ABCD cohort demonstrated that team-based sport participation was associated with lower anxious/depressed and withdrawn/depressed symptom scores, whereas exclusive individual sport participation showed the opposite pattern (Hoffmann et al. 2022). Qualitative syntheses further suggest that these benefits are primarily driven by social connection, distraction from stressors, and supportive interpersonal climates rather than by physical exertion per se (Ooms et al. 2025). Taken together this population-level association, organized sport should be understood as a distinctive psychosocial exposure that extends beyond physical exertion alone. Evidence indicates that structured sport settings combine formal evaluation, adult-led expectations, peer comparison, and performance pressure, elements that can simultaneously promote well-being or generate psychological strain depending on context (Swann et al. 2018). Quantitative comparisons consistently show marked heterogeneity by sport type: adolescents participating in individual sports report higher prevalence of anxiety or depression than team-sport participants (13% vs. 7%, p < .01), alongside greater specialization and year-round training demands (Pluhar et al. 2019). Large-scale data further confirm that team-based participation is associated with 10-19% lower internalizing symptom scores, whereas individual sport participation is linked to elevated anxious/depressed profiles (Hoffmann et al. 2022). Collectively, these findings suggest that organized sport-related stress may compete with “physical activity as coping” narratives, while the social architecture of team sports provides a protective buffer through shared responsibility and belonging. Extending the cross-sectional patterns observed herein, longitudinal evidence supports the interpretation that organized sport shapes psychological development over time rather than functioning primarily as an immediate stress-relief strategy. Prospective data following adolescents into young adulthood show that sustained team sport participation is associated with significantly lower perceived stress and better coping skills compared with discontinuation or non-participation, alongside a 43% reduction in the likelihood of panic disorder symptoms (Murray et al. 2021). Complementarily, cross-lagged panel analyses demonstrate a directional effect whereby sport participation predicts subsequent improvements in self-control and mental health, whereas reverse pathways are non-significant (Chen et al. 2025). Together, these findings suggest a process of motivational displacement, in which organized sport fosters durable psychosocial resources such as self-regulation and social identity that buffer stress longitudinally, reducing reliance on physical activity as an explicit coping mechanism. Building on the longitudinal pathways described above, mechanistic evidence indicates that the mental health benefits of physical activity and organized sport operate primarily through the development of internal regulatory resources rather than through immediate stress relief. Mediation analyses in adolescent samples show that physical activity is positively associated with self-efficacy (β = 0.28) and stress self-management (β = 0.55), with these factors fully mediating the relationship between activity and mental health outcomes (Zhang et al. 2024). Complementary longitudinal evidence demonstrates that sport participation prospectively enhances self-control, which in turn predicts subsequent mental health improvements, supporting a developmental cascade grounded in self-regulation rather than acute emotion regulation (Chen et al. 2025). Experimental data further suggest that physical activity dose and intensity influence perceived stress and psychological distress even in the absence of changes in cortisol reactivity, underscoring the contextual and skill-building nature of these effects (Smith et al. 2025). Building on the mechanistic role of self-regulatory resources, a key contextual lever shaping these processes is the motivational climate created by coaches and sport programs. Meta-analytic evidence demonstrates that autonomy-supportive coaching is robustly associated with autonomous motivation (ρ ≈ .39), intrinsic motivation (ρ ≈ .38), and satisfaction of basic psychological needs particularly autonomy (ρ ≈ .56) and relatedness (ρ ≈ .45) while showing inverse associations with distress and amotivation (Mossman et al. 2024). Empirical data further indicate that perceived coach autonomy support predicts life skills acquisition and positive youth development dimensions such as character and connection (Ricketts et al. 2025). Qualitative syntheses corroborate that environments emphasizing encouragement, effort, and enjoyment promote psychological safety, whereas controlling, performance-pressured climates exacerbate stress and anxiety (Ooms et al. 2025). Collectively, these findings suggest that autonomy-supportive coaching is critical for ensuring that organized sport enhances stress coping capacities rather than undermining them. Consistent with these pathways the role of motivational climate, our descriptive patterns showing higher organized sport participation among urban and higher-SES groups align with robust evidence of stratified access to youth sport. A large meta-analysis indicates that children from higher-SES households are nearly twice as likely to participate in organized sport (OR = 1.87), with disparities driven by financial costs, transport barriers, and neighborhood infrastructure quality (Owen et al. 2022). Importantly, population-based analyses demonstrate that sport participation remains associated with significantly lower anxiety and depressive symptoms after adjustment for sociodemographic covariates, with particularly strong benefits among low-SES and racialized youth (Biese et al. 2024). Qualitative evidence further highlights that cultural safety, gender norms, and social belonging shape participation decisions in low-resource settings, especially among adolescent girls (Ljungmann et al. 2022). Together, these findings underscore that reducing inequities requires simultaneous investment in equitable access and program quality to maximize mental health benefits. Several limitations should temper interpretation of these findings. The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference and cannot disentangle selection effects (e.g., adolescents with higher stress preferentially engaging in unstructured activity) from program effects (e.g., organized sport shaping motivational regulation). All measures were self-reported, raising potential misclassification and social desirability bias, as documented in longitudinal youth sport cohorts (Dore et al. 2016, Jewett et al. 2014). Nonetheless, our sensitivity analyses addressing missingness and alternative specifications support the robustness of the observed association. Importantly, prospective evidence demonstrates the feasibility of testing directional hypotheses: longitudinal and cross-lagged studies show that sustained team sport participation predicts subsequent reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms (β ≈ -0.23 to -0.36), even after accounting for stable between-person differences (Graupensperger, Sutcliffe, and Vella 2021, Jewett et al. 2014). Future research should prioritize designs modeling time-varying stress, motivation, and sport context. In conclusion, organized sport participation in Chile was associated with a lower likelihood of endorsing stress-relief as a primary motive for being physically active. This study extends the literature by showing that motivational meaning rather than activity volume alone may explain how organized sport relates to youth mental health at the population level. Rather than contradicting the mental health value of sport, this result likely indicates that organized sport operates through alternative pathways social integration, competence development, and self-regulatory skill building whose salience can reduce reliance on “PA-as-coping” framing. Conclusion Participation in organized sport among Chilean children and adolescents was inversely associated with endorsing stress relief as a primary motivation for physical activity, suggesting that structured sport settings may operate through alternative psychosocial drivers such as social integration, competence development, and goal-oriented engagement. Rather than diminishing the mental health value of sport, this pattern underscores the importance of motivational meaning in shaping psychological benefits beyond activity volume alone. Observed disparities by area of residence and socioeconomic status further emphasize the need for public health strategies that address both equitable access and program quality. Future longitudinal research should prioritize causal modeling of motivational and contextual pathways to inform sport-based interventions capable of promoting mental health across diverse youth populations. Declarations Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Conflicts of Interest / Competing Interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate The ENAFyD 2024 survey was reviewed, approved, and ethically validated by the Ethics Committee in accordance with the technical bases of the public tender issued by the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport (ID: 799595-2-LQ24). The Ethics Committee confirmed compliance with ethical, technical, and professional standards throughout data collection and analysis. Written informed consent was obtained from parents or legal guardians, and assent was obtained from all participating children and adolescents. Participation was voluntary. Consent for Publication Not applicable. No individual participant data or identifiable images are included in this manuscript. Availability of Data and Materials The data that support the findings of this study are available from the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport. Restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study and are not publicly available. Data are, however, available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and with permission of the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport. Code Availability The Python code used for statistical analyses (including the use of pandas and statsmodels libraries) is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Acknowledgements The authors thank the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport for granting access to the ENAFyD 2024 survey data. Clinical Trial Number Not applicable. References Amado-Alonso, Diana, Benito León-del-Barco, Santiago Mendo-Lázaro, Pedro A Sánchez-Miguel, and Damián Iglesias Gallego. 2019. \"Emotional intelligence and the practice of organized physical-sport activity in children.\" Sustainability 11 (6):1615. Basiaga-Pasternak, J. 2018. \"Cognitive Scripts, Anxiety and Styles of Coping with Stress in Teenagers Practising Sports.\" J Hum Kinet 65:261-271. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2018-0041. Biese, K. M., T. A. McGuine, K. Haraldsdottir, C. Reardon, and A. 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Abrahamsen. 2008. \"Achievement involvement and stress coping in elite wrestling.\" Scand J Med Sci Sports 18 (4):526-38. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2007.00646.x. Ljungmann, Cecilie Karen, Julie Hellesøe Christensen, Charlotte Demant Klinker, Charlotte Skau Pawlowski, and Helene Rald Johnsen. 2022. \"Barriers to sports participation among adolescent girls from deprived neighbourhoods.\" European Journal of Public Health 32 (Supplement_2):P03-14. Marchetti, Rosalba, Roberta Forte, Marco Borzacchini, Spyridoula Vazou, Phillip D Tomporowski, and Caterina Pesce. 2015. \"Physical and motor fitness, sport skills and executive function in adolescents: a moderated prediction model.\" Psychology 6 (14):1915-1929. Meyers, A. W., J. P. Whelan, and S. M. Murphy. 1996. \"Cognitive behavioral strategies in athletic performance enhancement.\" Prog Behav Modif 30:137-64. Moral-García, José Enrique, Jorge Román-Palmero, Sergio López García, Eliseo García-Cantó, Juan José Pérez-Soto, Andrés Rosa-Guillamón, and José David Urchaga-Litago. 2021. \"Autoestima y práctica deportiva en adolescentes.\" International Journal of Medicine & Science of Physical Activity & Sport/Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte 21 (81). Mossman, Lara H, Gavin R Slemp, Kelsey J Lewis, Rachel H Colla, and Paul O’Halloran. 2024. \"Autonomy support in sport and exercise settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.\" International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology 17 (1):540-563. Murray, Ross M., Catherine M. Sabiston, Isabelle Doré, Mathieu Bélanger, and Jennifer L. O’Loughlin. 2021. \"Association between pattern of team sport participation from adolescence to young adulthood and mental health.\" Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports 31 (7):1481-1488. doi: 10.1111/sms.13957. Ooms, L., W. van Stam, V. Sevdalis, M. Overbye, B. Alguren, S. Heck, and A. Van Hoye. 2025. \"How do sports participation and sports settings influence the mental health of children and adolescents? A systematic review of qualitative studies.\" BMC Public Health . doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-25916-x. Owen, Katherine B., Tracy Nau, Lindsey J. Reece, William Bellew, Catriona Rose, Adrian Bauman, Nicole K. Halim, and Ben J. Smith. 2022. \"Fair play? Participation equity in organised sport and physical activity among children and adolescents in high income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.\" International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 19 (1). doi: 10.1186/s12966-022-01263-7. Pluhar, Emily, Caitlin McCracken, Kelsey L Griffith, Melissa A Christino, Dai Sugimoto, and William P Meehan III. 2019. \"Team sport athletes may be less likely to suffer anxiety or depression than individual sport athletes.\" Journal of sports science & medicine 18 (3):490. Ricketts, Chelsi, Leapetswe Malete, Tshepang Tshube, Gaofetoge Ganamotse, and Thuso Mphela. 2025. \"An investigation of coach autonomy support, life skills acquisition, and the five Cs among junior and senior secondary school athletes in Botswana.\" International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 23 (8):1586-1607. doi: 10.1080/1612197x.2024.2419047. Saevarsson, E. S., V. Rognvaldsdottir, R. Stefansdottir, and E. Johannsson. 2021. \"Organized Sport Participation, Physical Activity, Sleep and Screen Time in 16-Year-Old Adolescents.\" Int J Environ Res Public Health 18 (6). doi: 10.3390/ijerph18063162. Smith, J. J., M. R. Beauchamp, E. Puterman, A. A. Leahy, S. R. Valkenborghs, L. Wade, F. Chen, and D. R. Lubans. 2025. \"Physical activity intensity and older adolescents' stress: The 'STress-Reactivity after Exercise in Senior Secondary EDucation' (STRESSED) 3-arm randomised controlled trial.\" Psychol Sport Exerc 76:102754. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102754. Sørlie, Mari-Anne. 2021. \"Structural, cultural and instructional predictors essential to sustained implementation fidelity in schools: The School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Model (SWPBS).\" International Journal of Educational Research Open 2:100082. Swann, Christian, Joanne Telenta, Georgia Draper, Sarah Liddle, Andrea Fogarty, Diarmuid Hurley, and Stewart Vella. 2018. \"Youth sport as a context for supporting mental health: Adolescent male perspectives.\" Psychology of sport and exercise 35:55-64. Tsai, K. M., N. A. Gonzales, and A. J. Fuligni. 2016. \"Mexican American Adolescents' Emotional Support to the Family in Response to Parental Stress.\" J Res Adolesc 26 (4):658-672. doi: 10.1111/jora.12216. Upenieks, Laura, Brendan Ryan, and Chris Knoester. 2024. \"Better to have played than not played? Childhood sport participation, dropout frequencies and reasons, and mental health in adulthood.\" Sociology of Sport Journal 42 (1):87-100. Vaquero Solis, Mikel, Pedro Antonio Sánchez-Miguel, Miguel Angel Tapia Serrano, Juan J Pulido, and Damian Iglesias Gallego. 2019. \"Physical activity as a regulatory variable between adolescents’ motivational processes and satisfaction with life.\" International journal of environmental research and public health 16 (15):2765. Vella, Stewart A, and Matthew J Schweickle. 2020. \"Importance of organized sport participation for youth physical activity.\" In The Routledge handbook of youth physical activity , 762-773. Routledge. Wang, C. H., and N. Peiper. 2022. \"Association Between Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior With Depressive Symptoms Among US High School Students, 2019.\" Prev Chronic Dis 19:E76. doi: 10.5888/pcd19.220003. Wang, Y., Z. Luo, T. Zhang, M. Zhang, L. Kapilevich, and J. Wang. 2025. \"Sport-specific impacts of ball games on adolescent brain function: a network meta-analysis of executive cognitive tasks.\" BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 17 (1):215. doi: 10.1186/s13102-025-01268-2. Zhang, Ge, Wanxuan Feng, Liangyu Zhao, Xiuhan Zhao, and Tuojian Li. 2024. \"The association between physical activity, self-efficacy, stress self-management and mental health among adolescents.\" Scientific Reports 14 (1):5488. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files OnlineResource1.docx.docx Supplementary Information Sensitivity analyses were conducted using alternative coding’s of the stress-related motivation outcome, including treating missing responses as “no” or “yes” and inverting the outcome definition. Across all plausible scenarios, the association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation remained consistent in direction and magnitude, supporting the robustness of the main findings (Online Resource 1). Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 21 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 27 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 22 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 11 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 07 Jan, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 07 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 02 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-8503202\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Research Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":592183130,\"identity\":\"b71ebc1f-9082-43fe-a8c7-c6d0a755cee4\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Josivaldo De 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20:38:09\",\"currentVersionCode\":1,\"declarations\":\"\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503202/v1\",\"doiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503202/v1\",\"draftVersion\":[],\"editorialEvents\":[],\"editorialNote\":\"\",\"failedWorkflow\":false,\"files\":[{\"id\":103056416,\"identity\":\"eadcb35f-9080-4279-8e2c-0240a680064f\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-02-20 09:09:52\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":0,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"manuscript-pdf\",\"size\":931810,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"manuscript.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8503202/v1/724616cd-a550-4c25-97d0-bc016533273f.pdf\"},{\"id\":102830045,\"identity\":\"f9f5b609-d4e9-482e-a665-26469a8e0031\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-02-17 09:46:20\",\"extension\":\"docx\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"supplement\",\"size\":18038,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSupplementary Information\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eSensitivity analyses were conducted using alternative coding’s of the stress-related motivation outcome, including treating missing responses as “no” or “yes” and inverting the outcome definition. Across all plausible scenarios, the association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation remained consistent in direction and magnitude, supporting the robustness of the main findings (Online Resource 1).\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"OnlineResource1.docx.docx\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8503202/v1/7babf79f59bddfff7ae9ec79.docx\"}],\"financialInterests\":\"No competing interests reported.\",\"formattedTitle\":\"Organized Sport Participation and Stress-Related Motivation for Physical Activity among Chilean Children and Adolescents: A National Cross-Sectional Study\",\"fulltext\":[{\"header\":\"Introduction\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003ePhysical activity during childhood and adolescence is widely recognized as a key determinant of physical, psychological, and social health. Beyond its well-established benefits for cardiometabolic health and physical fitness, regular physical activity has been associated with improved emotional well-being, stress regulation, and mental health outcomes among young people (Bjornara et al. 2021, Jackson, Prochnow, and Ettekal 2024, Meyers, Whelan, and Murphy 1996). In this context, understanding not only the amount and type of physical activity, but also the underlying motivations for participation, has become increasingly relevant for public health research and policy.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eOrganized sport represents one of the most common and structured forms of physical activity among children and adolescents. Participation in organized sport whether school-based or extracurricular has been linked to multiple positive outcomes, including social integration, discipline, self-esteem, and academic engagement (Bruner et al 2020, Saevarsson et al. 2021, S\\u0026oslash;rlie 2021). However, organized sport differs conceptually from non-organized or leisure-time physical activity, as it often involves formal rules, performance expectations, adult supervision, and competitive elements, which may shape not only participation patterns but also the motivational drivers underlying engagement (Vella and Schweickle 2020).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eStress-related motivation for physical activity, such as practicing relaxing or reducing stress, reflects an important psychological dimension of behavior. In adolescents in particular, stress has been identified as a growing public health concern, influenced by academic demands, social relationships, and environmental factors (de Souza Lima et al. 2024, Vaquero Solis et al. 2019, Kokko et al. 2019). Physical activity may function as a coping strategy to manage stress, yet the extent to which organized sport fulfills this role remains unclear, with some evidence suggesting that participants may prioritize other motivators like competition or social bonds over stress relief (Kristiansen, Roberts, and Abrahamsen 2008).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eRecent studies from the United States have highlighted the mental health benefits of organized sports participation in youth, showing associations with reduced anxiety and depression symptoms. For instance, team-based sports have been linked to lower mental health difficulties, including decreased social and thought problems, potentially due to the supportive group dynamics involved (Black et al. 2010, Hoffmann et al. 2022, Upenieks, Ryan, and Knoester 2024). These findings underscore how structured sports environments can foster resilience against stress, though motivational aspects vary by individual and contextual factors.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eIn Europe, a growing body of evidence highlights that sustained engagement in organized and strategic sports yields distinct psychological and cognitive advantages for adolescents. Regular participation in cognitively demanding team sports such as football, basketball, or volleyball has been shown to enhance executive functions, including inhibitory control and working memory, while promoting adaptive stress management strategies (Wang et al. 2025, Marchetti et al. 2015). Furthermore, adolescents who consistently engage in structured sport settings exhibit lower levels of cognitive anxiety and demonstrate more positive coping styles when facing stressors, suggesting a greater resilience and emotional regulation capacity (Basiaga-Pasternak 2018). Collectively, these findings indicate that chronic involvement in strategic sports not only provides acute reductions in anxiety but also facilitates a long-term motivational shift toward psychological growth, cognitive flexibility, and sustained well-being extending beyond the temporary relief commonly associated with exercise.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eIn Latin America, growing research highlights the crucial role of physical activity and organized sports in promoting children\\u0026rsquo;s emotional and social well-being. Evidence from Spain and Brazil indicates that greater engagement in structured sports is linked to better emotional regulation, improved mood states, and enhanced coping with stress, especially when supported by parental modeling and encouragement (Camargo et al. 2023, Amado-Alonso et al. 2019, de Souza-Lima et al. 2025). Moreover, studies among Mexican-origin adolescents suggest that participation in family-based or organized activities fosters emotional support and cohesion within the home environment, mitigating stress related to school and family contexts (Tsai, Gonzales, and Fuligni 2016). Together, these findings underscore that sport participation not only reduces school-related stress but also promotes positive psychosocial adaptation in diverse sociocultural settings across Latin America.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eIn Spain, empirical evidence illustrates the strong interplay between academic stress, self-esteem, and organized sport participation among adolescents. Engagement in extracurricular and team-based sports has been linked to improved self-perception, emotional regulation, and reduced stress levels, with clear moderating effects of gender, age, and sport type (Moral-Garc\\u0026iacute;a et al. 2021, Gomez-Baya, R Mendoza, and Tomico 2018). Moreover, motivational climate research shows that when sports contexts emphasize task-oriented goals and intrinsic motivation, adolescents report lower life and academic stress and higher school engagement (Castro-Sanchez et al. 2019). These findings reveal that organized activities act as protective environments, fostering psychological resilience and buffering the effects of educational pressure, while also reflecting how territorial and gender inequalities shape access to sport and its associated benefits.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eUsing nationally representative data from the 2024 National Survey of Physical Activity and Sport, this study aimed to examine the association between participation in organized sport and stress-related motivation for physical activity among children and adolescents aged 5-17 years. Specifically, we assessed (i) the prevalence of organized sport participation across sociodemographic groups, (ii) differences in stress-related motivation according to organized sport participation, overall and by area of residence, and (iii) the independent association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation after adjusting for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and urban-rural residence. By addressing these objectives, this study seeks to contribute evidence relevant for the design of physical activity and sport promotion strategies that are responsive to both behavioral and mental health dimensions in young populations.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Methods\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eStudy design and data source\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThis study used data from the National Physical Activity and Sport Survey 2024 (ENAFyD 2024), a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey conducted in Chile by the Undersecretariat of Sport. The ENAFyD 2024 was designed to monitor physical activity behaviors, sport participation, and related psychosocial factors among the Chilean population.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe present analysis focused on children and adolescents aged 5-17 years, using the standardized questionnaire administered to this age group. Data collection was carried out through structured interviews conducted by trained fieldworkers following standardized protocols.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eStudy population\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe initial analytical sample included 4,150 children and adolescents with valid information on sociodemographic characteristics and organized sport participation. For regression analyses involving stress-related motivation for physical activity, the sample was restricted to participants with non-missing information on the outcome variable, resulting in a complete-case analytical sample of 2,651 participants.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eVariables\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eOrganized sport participation\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eOrganized sport participation was defined as engagement in school-based and/or extracurricular organized physical activity or sport. A binary variable was created indicating participation in at least one organized sport context (Yes/No). This variable was used as the main exposure in all analyses.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eStress-related motivation for physical activity\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eStress-related motivation for physical activity was derived from a questionnaire item asking participants whether they practiced physical activity or sport to relax or reduce stress. Responses were recorded into a binary outcome variable:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cul type=\\\"square\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eYes: reported practicing physical activity to relax or reduce stress\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eNo: did not report this motivation\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003c/ul\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eParticipants with missing responses on this item were excluded from regression analyses but retained in descriptive analyses, where missingness was reported explicitly.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSociodemographic covariates\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cul\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eThe following covariates were included based on theoretical relevance and prior literature:\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eSex (female, male)\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eAge group, categorized as 5-11 years and 12-17 years\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eSocioeconomic status, classified into low, middle, and high, based on the official ENAFyD household socioeconomic index\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eArea of residence, categorized as urban or rural, derived from the official ENAFyD geographic classification\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003c/ul\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eAll covariates were treated as categorical variables in the analysis.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eStatistical analysis\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eDescriptive statistics were calculated using absolute frequencies (n) and percentages (%), based on non-missing observations. Sample characteristics were summarized overall and stratified by organized sport participation. Bivariate associations between organized sport participation and sociodemographic characteristics were examined using cross-tabulations, with results presented as column percentages. The association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation for physical activity was first explored descriptively and then evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. The primary adjusted model included organized sport participation as the main exposure and was adjusted for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and area of residence. Interaction terms were explored descriptively through stratified analyses by area of residence (urban/rural).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eAll analyses were conducted using unweighted data, consistent with the objectives of association estimation rather than population prevalence inference. Statistical significance was set at p \\u0026lt; 0.05. Analyses were performed using Python (pandas, stats models).\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe ENAFyD 2024 survey was reviewed, approved, and ethically validated by the Ethics Committee in accordance with the technical bases of the public tender issued by the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport (ID: 799595-2-LQ24). The Ethics Committee confirmed compliance with ethical, technical, and professional standards throughout data collection and analysis. Written informed consent was obtained from parents or legal guardians, and assent was obtained from all participating children and adolescents. Participation was voluntary, and data confidentiality and anonymity were strictly maintained.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Results\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSample characteristics\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe analytical sample comprised 4,150 children and adolescents aged 5-17 years from the \\u003cem\\u003eEncuesta Nacional de Actividad F\\u0026iacute;sica y Deporte 2024 (ENAFyD 2024)\\u003c/em\\u003e. The sex distribution was balanced, with 50.5% females and 49.5% males. Slightly more than half of the sample corresponded to children aged 5-11 years (52.3%), while 47.7% were adolescents aged 12\\u0026ndash;17 years.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eRegarding socioeconomic status, nearly half of the participants belonged to low socioeconomic status households (48.6%), followed by middle (34.7%) and high (16.7%) socioeconomic strata. Most participants resided in urban areas (83.8%), with 16.2% living in rural settings. Detailed sample characteristics are presented in Table 1.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eTable 1.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/strong\\u003eSample characteristics of children and adolescents (ENAFyD 2024)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv align=\\\"center\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ctable border=\\\"0\\\" cellspacing=\\\"3\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\" width=\\\"100%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cthead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eVariable\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003en\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e%\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003c/thead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctbody\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSex\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eFemale\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e2,096\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e50.5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eMale\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e2,054\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e49.5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eAge group (years)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e5-11\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e2,172\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e52.3\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e12-17\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,978\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e47.7\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSocioeconomic status\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eLow\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e2,018\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e48.6\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eMiddle\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,440\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e34.7\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eHigh\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e692\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e16.7\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eArea of residence\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eUrban\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e3,477\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e83.8\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 65px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eRural\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 17px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e673\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e16.2\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\n \\u003c/table\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eNote:\\u003c/strong\\u003e Percentages calculated among non-missing observations. Analyses based on data that are unweight.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eOverall, 59.9% of the sample reported participation in at least one form of organized sport, including school-based and/or extracurricular organized activities. Patterns of organized sport participation across sociodemographic groups are summarized in Table 2. Participation rates were broadly similar between girls and boys, with no marked sex differences observed.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eLikewise, organized sport participation was comparable between children aged 5-11 years and adolescents aged 12-17 years, indicating relatively stable engagement across developmental stages. Across socioeconomic strata, participation showed modest variation, with slightly higher prevalence among participants from high socioeconomic status households compared with middle and low strata.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eTable 2.\\u003c/strong\\u003e Organized sport participation by sociodemographic characteristics\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv align=\\\"center\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ctable border=\\\"0\\\" cellspacing=\\\"3\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\" width=\\\"101%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cthead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eCharacteristic\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eCategory\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eOrganized sport: No n (%)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eOrganized sport: Yes n (%)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003c/thead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctbody\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSex\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eFemale\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,214 (51.6)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e882 (49.1)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eMale\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,138 (48.4)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e916 (50.9)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eAge group (years)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e5-11\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,257 (53.4)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e915 (50.9)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e12-17\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,095 (46.6)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e883 (49.1)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSocioeconomic status\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eLow\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e388 (16.5)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e304 (16.9)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eMiddle\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e842 (35.8)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e598 (33.3)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eHigh\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,122 (47.7)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e896 (49.8)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eArea of residence\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eRural\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e441 (18.8)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e232 (12.9)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 24px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 10px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eUrban\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 31px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,911 (81.2)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 32px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1,566 (87.1)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\n \\u003c/table\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eNote:\\u003c/strong\\u003e Percentages are calculated within columns of organized sport participation. Analyses are unweighted.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eClearer differences emerged by area of residence. Children and adolescents living in urban areas showed a higher prevalence of organized sport participation compared with those residing in rural areas, although most participants in both groups reported engagement in organized sport.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe distribution of stress-related motivation for physical activity, defined as reporting participation in physical activity or sport to \\u003cem\\u003erelax or reduce stress\\u003c/em\\u003e, is presented in Table 3, overall and stratified by area of residence.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eTable 3.\\u003c/strong\\u003e Stress-related motivation for physical activity by organized sport participation, overall and by area of residence\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ctable border=\\\"0\\\" cellspacing=\\\"3\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\" width=\\\"107%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cthead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 28px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eOrganized sport participation\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 26px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eStress-related motivation\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 15px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eOverall n (%)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 14px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eUrban n (%)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eRural n (%)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003c/thead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctbody\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 28px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eNo\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 26px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eYes (relax/reduce stress)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 15px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e708 (39.4)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 14px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e621 (39.7)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e87 (37.5)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 28px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 26px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eNo\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 15px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e693 (29.5)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 14px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e573 (30.0)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e120 (27.2)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 28px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 26px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eMissing\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 15px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e837 (35.6)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 14px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e665 (34.8)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e172 (39.0)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 28px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eYes\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 26px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eYes (relax/reduce stress)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 15px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e428 (23.8)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 14px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e363 (23.2)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e65 (28.0)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 28px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 26px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eNo\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 15px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e822 (34.9)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 14px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e673 (35.2)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e149 (33.8)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 28px;\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 26px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eMissing\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 15px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e662 (36.8)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 14px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e582 (37.2)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 13px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e80 (34.5)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\n\\u003c/table\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eNote:\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/strong\\u003ePercentages are calculated within each organized sport participation category. Missing corresponds to participants who did not clearly endorse or reject stress-related motivation.\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eOverall, stress-related motivation was more frequently reported among participants who did not engage in organized sport compared with those who did. This pattern was consistent across urban and rural areas. In both settings, the proportion of children and adolescents reporting stress-related motivation was lower among those participating in organized sport than among non-participants.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eMissing responses to the stress-related motivation item accounted for approximately one-third of the sample and were similarly distributed across organized sport participation categories, suggesting no strong differential pattern of non-response by sport engagement.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eResults from multivariable logistic regression analyses are presented in Table 4. Analyses were conducted among participants with non-missing information on stress-related motivation (N = 2,651) and adjusted for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and area of residence.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eTable 4.\\u003c/strong\\u003e Multivariable logistic regression analysis of stress-related motivation for physical activity\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ctable border=\\\"0\\\" cellspacing=\\\"3\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\" width=\\\"100%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cthead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 53px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eVariable\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 22px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eOdds Ratio (OR)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 12px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e95% CI\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 9px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003ep-value\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003c/thead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctbody\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 53px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eOrganized sport participation (Yes vs No)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 22px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.51\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 12px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.44-0.60\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 9px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026lt;0.001\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 53px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eSex (Male vs Female)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 22px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.94\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 12px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.81-1.10\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 9px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.472\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 53px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eAge group (12-17 vs 5-11 years)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 22px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.96\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 12px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.83-1.13\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 9px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.648\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 53px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eSocioeconomic status (Middle vs High)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 22px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.99\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 12px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.78-1.26\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 9px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.954\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 53px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eSocioeconomic status (Low vs High)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 22px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.84\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 12px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.67-1.06\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 9px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.137\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctr\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 53px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eArea of residence (Urban vs Rural)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 22px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.89\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 12px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.72-1.10\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003ctd style=\\\"width: 9px;\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.293\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tr\\u003e\\n \\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\n\\u003c/table\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eNote\\u003c/strong\\u003e: ORs and 95% CIs from multivariable logistic regression adjusted for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and area of residence (N = 2,651; unweighted data).\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eParticipation in organized sport was independently associated with lower odds of reporting stress-related motivation for physical activity. Specifically, children and adolescents engaged in organized sport had approximately 49% lower odds of reporting participation in physical activity to relax or reduce stress compared with non-participants (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.44-0.60; p \\u0026lt; 0.001).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eNo statistically significant associations were observed for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, or area of residence in the adjusted model. The direction and magnitude of the association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation remained stable after adjustment, indicating minimal confounding by the included covariates.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSensitivity analyses\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eTo assess the robustness of the main findings, a series of sensitivity analyses were conducted using alternative coding\\u0026rsquo;s of the stress-related motivation outcome, including treating missing responses as either \\u0026ldquo;no\\u0026rdquo; or \\u0026ldquo;yes\\u0026rdquo; and inverting the outcome definition. Results from these analyses are presented in Online Resource 1.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eAcross all plausible scenarios, the association between organized sport participation and stress-related motivation remained consistent in direction and magnitude, with odds ratios ranging from approximately 0.51 to 0.65. No alternative specification yielded an association close to the null. These findings support the robustness of the main analysis and indicate that the observed association is not driven by outcome coding or treatment of missing data.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Discussion\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThis study aimed to examine whether participation in organized sport is associated with stress-related motivational patterns for physical activity among Chilean children and adolescents.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe present findings are consistent with population-based evidence indicating that participation in organized sport is differentially associated with mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. National surveillance data from the United States show that adolescents participating in one or more sports teams had a 34% lower likelihood of reporting depressive symptoms compared with non-participants (aOR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.55\\u0026ndash;0.78), an effect stronger than that observed for general physical activity alone (Wang and Peiper 2022). Similarly, large-scale analyses from the ABCD cohort demonstrated that team-based sport participation was associated with lower anxious/depressed and withdrawn/depressed symptom scores, whereas exclusive individual sport participation showed the opposite pattern (Hoffmann et al. 2022). Qualitative syntheses further suggest that these benefits are primarily driven by social connection, distraction from stressors, and supportive interpersonal climates rather than by physical exertion per se (Ooms et al. 2025).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eTaken together this population-level association, organized sport should be understood as a distinctive psychosocial exposure that extends beyond physical exertion alone. Evidence indicates that structured sport settings combine formal evaluation, adult-led expectations, peer comparison, and performance pressure, elements that can simultaneously promote well-being or generate psychological strain depending on context (Swann et al. 2018). Quantitative comparisons consistently show marked heterogeneity by sport type: adolescents participating in individual sports report higher prevalence of anxiety or depression than team-sport participants (13% vs. 7%, p \\u0026lt; .01), alongside greater specialization and year-round training demands (Pluhar et al. 2019). Large-scale data further confirm that team-based participation is associated with 10-19% lower internalizing symptom scores, whereas individual sport participation is linked to elevated anxious/depressed profiles (Hoffmann et al. 2022). Collectively, these findings suggest that organized sport-related stress may compete with \\u0026ldquo;physical activity as coping\\u0026rdquo; narratives, while the social architecture of team sports provides a protective buffer through shared responsibility and belonging.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eExtending the cross-sectional patterns observed herein, longitudinal evidence supports the interpretation that organized sport shapes psychological development over time rather than functioning primarily as an immediate stress-relief strategy. Prospective data following adolescents into young adulthood show that sustained team sport participation is associated with significantly lower perceived stress and better coping skills compared with discontinuation or non-participation, alongside a 43% reduction in the likelihood of panic disorder symptoms (Murray et al. 2021). Complementarily, cross-lagged panel analyses demonstrate a directional effect whereby sport participation predicts subsequent improvements in self-control and mental health, whereas reverse pathways are non-significant (Chen et al. 2025). Together, these findings suggest a process of motivational displacement, in which organized sport fosters durable psychosocial resources such as self-regulation and social identity that buffer stress longitudinally, reducing reliance on physical activity as an explicit coping mechanism.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003eBuilding on the longitudinal pathways described above, mechanistic evidence indicates that the mental health benefits of physical activity and organized sport operate primarily through the development of internal regulatory resources rather than through immediate stress relief. Mediation analyses in adolescent samples show that physical activity is positively associated with self-efficacy (\\u0026beta; = 0.28) and stress self-management (\\u0026beta; = 0.55), with these factors fully mediating the relationship between activity and mental health outcomes (Zhang et al. 2024). Complementary longitudinal evidence demonstrates that sport participation prospectively enhances self-control, which in turn predicts subsequent mental health improvements, supporting a developmental cascade grounded in self-regulation rather than acute emotion regulation (Chen et al. 2025). Experimental data further suggest that physical activity dose and intensity influence perceived stress and psychological distress even in the absence of changes in cortisol reactivity, underscoring the contextual and skill-building nature of these effects (Smith et al. 2025).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eBuilding on the mechanistic role of self-regulatory resources, a key contextual lever shaping these processes is the motivational climate created by coaches and sport programs. Meta-analytic evidence demonstrates that autonomy-supportive coaching is robustly associated with autonomous motivation (\\u0026rho; \\u0026asymp; .39), intrinsic motivation (\\u0026rho; \\u0026asymp; .38), and satisfaction of basic psychological needs particularly autonomy (\\u0026rho; \\u0026asymp; .56) and relatedness (\\u0026rho; \\u0026asymp; .45) while showing inverse associations with distress and amotivation (Mossman et al. 2024). Empirical data further indicate that perceived coach autonomy support predicts life skills acquisition and positive youth development dimensions such as character and connection (Ricketts et al. 2025). Qualitative syntheses corroborate that environments emphasizing encouragement, effort, and enjoyment promote psychological safety, whereas controlling, performance-pressured climates exacerbate stress and anxiety (Ooms et al. 2025). Collectively, these findings suggest that autonomy-supportive coaching is critical for ensuring that organized sport enhances stress coping capacities rather than undermining them.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eConsistent with these pathways the role of motivational climate, our descriptive patterns showing higher organized sport participation among urban and higher-SES groups align with robust evidence of stratified access to youth sport. A large meta-analysis indicates that children from higher-SES households are nearly twice as likely to participate in organized sport (OR = 1.87), with disparities driven by financial costs, transport barriers, and neighborhood infrastructure quality (Owen et al. 2022). Importantly, population-based analyses demonstrate that sport participation remains associated with significantly lower anxiety and depressive symptoms after adjustment for sociodemographic covariates, with particularly strong benefits among low-SES and racialized youth (Biese et al. 2024). Qualitative evidence further highlights that cultural safety, gender norms, and social belonging shape participation decisions in low-resource settings, especially among adolescent girls (Ljungmann et al. 2022). Together, these findings underscore that reducing inequities requires simultaneous investment in equitable access and program quality to maximize mental health benefits.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eSeveral limitations should temper interpretation of these findings. The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference and cannot disentangle selection effects (e.g., adolescents with higher stress preferentially engaging in unstructured activity) from program effects (e.g., organized sport shaping motivational regulation). All measures were self-reported, raising potential misclassification and social desirability bias, as documented in longitudinal youth sport cohorts (Dore et al. 2016, Jewett et al. 2014). Nonetheless, our sensitivity analyses addressing missingness and alternative specifications support the robustness of the observed association. Importantly, prospective evidence demonstrates the feasibility of testing directional hypotheses: longitudinal and cross-lagged studies show that sustained team sport participation predicts subsequent reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms (\\u0026beta; \\u0026asymp; -0.23 to -0.36), even after accounting for stable between-person differences (Graupensperger, Sutcliffe, and Vella 2021, Jewett et al. 2014). Future research should prioritize designs modeling time-varying stress, motivation, and sport context.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eIn conclusion, organized sport participation in Chile was associated with a lower likelihood of endorsing stress-relief as a primary motive for being physically active. This study extends the literature by showing that motivational meaning rather than activity volume alone may explain how organized sport relates to youth mental health at the population level. Rather than contradicting the mental health value of sport, this result likely indicates that organized sport operates through alternative pathways social integration, competence development, and self-regulatory skill building whose salience can reduce reliance on \\u0026ldquo;PA-as-coping\\u0026rdquo; framing.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Conclusion\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eParticipation in organized sport among Chilean children and adolescents was inversely associated with endorsing stress relief as a primary motivation for physical activity, suggesting that structured sport settings may operate through alternative psychosocial drivers such as social integration, competence development, and goal-oriented engagement. Rather than diminishing the mental health value of sport, this pattern underscores the importance of motivational meaning in shaping psychological benefits beyond activity volume alone. Observed disparities by area of residence and socioeconomic status further emphasize the need for public health strategies that address both equitable access and program quality. Future longitudinal research should prioritize causal modeling of motivational and contextual pathways to inform sport-based interventions capable of promoting mental health across diverse youth populations.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Declarations\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFunding\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThis research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eConflicts of Interest / Competing Interests\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eEthics Approval and Consent to Participate\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe ENAFyD 2024 survey was reviewed, approved, and ethically validated by the Ethics Committee in accordance with the technical bases of the public tender issued by the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport (ID: 799595-2-LQ24). The Ethics Committee confirmed compliance with ethical, technical, and professional standards throughout data collection and analysis. Written informed consent was obtained from parents or legal guardians, and assent was obtained from all participating children and adolescents. Participation was voluntary.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eConsent for Publication\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eNot applicable. No individual participant data or identifiable images are included in this manuscript.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eAvailability of Data and Materials\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe data that support the findings of this study are available from the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport. Restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study and are not publicly available. Data are, however, available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and with permission of the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eCode Availability\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe Python code used for statistical analyses (including the use of \\u003cem\\u003epandas\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003estatsmodels\\u003c/em\\u003e libraries) is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eAcknowledgements\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe authors thank the Chilean Undersecretariat of Sport for granting access to the ENAFyD 2024 survey data.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eClinical Trial Number\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eNot applicable.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"References\",\"content\":\"\\u003col\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eAmado-Alonso, Diana, Benito Le\\u0026oacute;n-del-Barco, Santiago Mendo-L\\u0026aacute;zaro, Pedro A S\\u0026aacute;nchez-Miguel, and Dami\\u0026aacute;n Iglesias Gallego. 2019. \\u0026quot;Emotional intelligence and the practice of organized physical-sport activity in children.\\u0026quot; \\u0026nbsp;\\u003cem\\u003eSustainability\\u003c/em\\u003e 11 (6):1615.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eBasiaga-Pasternak, J. 2018. \\u0026quot;Cognitive Scripts, Anxiety and Styles of Coping with Stress in Teenagers Practising Sports.\\u0026quot; \\u0026nbsp;\\u003cem\\u003eJ Hum Kinet\\u003c/em\\u003e 65:261-271. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2018-0041.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eBiese, K. 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Peiper. 2022. \\u0026quot;Association Between Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior With Depressive Symptoms Among US High School Students, 2019.\\u0026quot; \\u0026nbsp;\\u003cem\\u003ePrev Chronic Dis\\u003c/em\\u003e 19:E76. doi: 10.5888/pcd19.220003.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eWang, Y., Z. Luo, T. Zhang, M. Zhang, L. Kapilevich, and J. Wang. 2025. \\u0026quot;Sport-specific impacts of ball games on adolescent brain function: a network meta-analysis of executive cognitive tasks.\\u0026quot; \\u0026nbsp;\\u003cem\\u003eBMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil\\u003c/em\\u003e 17 (1):215. doi: 10.1186/s13102-025-01268-2.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003eZhang, Ge, Wanxuan Feng, Liangyu Zhao, Xiuhan Zhao, and Tuojian Li. 2024. \\u0026quot;The association between physical activity, self-efficacy, stress self-management and mental health among adolescents.\\u0026quot; \\u0026nbsp; \\u003cem\\u003eScientific Reports\\u003c/em\\u003e 14 (1):5488.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003c/ol\\u003e\"}],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":true,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":false,\"hideJournal\":false,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":false,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":false,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"discover-public-health\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)\",\"snPcode\":\"12982\",\"submissionUrl\":\"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3\",\"title\":\"Discover Public Health\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":true,\"editorialSystem\":\"stoa\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"Discover Series\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true},\"keywords\":\"Organized sport, Physical activity, Stress motivation, Children, Adolescents, Chile\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503202/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503202/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eAim: \\u003c/strong\\u003eTo examine the association between participation in organized sport and stress-related motivation for physical activity among Chilean children and adolescents aged 5–17 years, using nationally representative data.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eMethods: \\u003c/strong\\u003eThis cross-sectional study analyzed data from 4,150 participants in the 2024 National Physical Activity and Sport Survey. Organized sport participation was defined as engagement in school-based or extracurricular sport activities (yes/no). Stress-related motivation for physical activity was assessed by self-report (yes/no). Multivariable logistic regression models estimated odds ratios adjusted for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and area of residence. Sensitivity analyses evaluated robustness under alternative outcome coding’s.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eResults: \\u003c/strong\\u003eOverall, 59.9% of participants reported engagement in organized sport, with higher participation observed in urban areas and higher socioeconomic groups. Stress-related motivation was reported by 39.4% of non-participants compared with 23.8% of organized sport participants. Participation in organized sport was associated with significantly lower odds of endorsing stress-related motivation (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.44–0.60; p \\u0026lt; 0.001), independent of sociodemographic factors. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the consistency of this association (OR range: 0.51–0.65).\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eConclusion: \\u003c/strong\\u003eParticipation in organized sport was inversely associated with endorsing stress relief as a primary motivation for physical activity. Rather than contradicting the mental health value of sport, this pattern suggests that organized sport may operate through alternative psychosocial pathways, such as social integration and competence development. These findings highlight the importance of addressing access disparities and integrating mental health–promoting components within youth sport programs.\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"manuscriptTitle\":\"Organized Sport Participation and Stress-Related Motivation for Physical Activity among Chilean Children and Adolescents: A National Cross-Sectional Study\",\"msid\":\"\",\"msnumber\":\"\",\"nonDraftVersions\":[{\"code\":1,\"date\":\"2026-02-17 09:46:15\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8503202/v1\",\"editorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"communityComments\",\"content\":0},{\"type\":\"decision\",\"content\":\"Revision requested\",\"date\":\"2026-04-21T22:00:26+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorInvitedReview\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-02-28T00:17:22+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorInvitedReview\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-02-22T22:06:00+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"209321744104882426277355235005310030848\",\"date\":\"2026-02-18T19:40:47+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"258153900746065837720494046170882505493\",\"date\":\"2026-02-17T21:58:27+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"72080349688188749790626224463053262756\",\"date\":\"2026-02-16T13:27:42+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"335594330107008588956145262575233284866\",\"date\":\"2026-02-11T16:34:25+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewersInvited\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-02-11T15:33:33+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorAssigned\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-01-07T05:23:00+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"checksComplete\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-01-07T05:22:24+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"submitted\",\"content\":\"Discover Public Health\",\"date\":\"2026-01-02T20:21:08+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"}],\"status\":\"published\",\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"discover-public-health\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)\",\"snPcode\":\"12982\",\"submissionUrl\":\"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3\",\"title\":\"Discover Public Health\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":true,\"editorialSystem\":\"stoa\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"Discover Series\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true}}],\"origin\":\"\",\"ownerIdentity\":\"d6b4652b-3e87-43b3-9b58-571dc9b1e4ae\",\"owner\":[],\"postedDate\":\"February 17th, 2026\",\"published\":true,\"recentEditorialEvents\":[],\"rejectedJournal\":[],\"revision\":\"\",\"amendment\":\"\",\"status\":\"under-review\",\"subjectAreas\":[],\"tags\":[],\"updatedAt\":\"2026-05-04T09:53:37+00:00\",\"versionOfRecord\":[],\"versionCreatedAt\":\"2026-02-17 09:46:15\",\"video\":\"\",\"vorDoi\":\"\",\"vorDoiUrl\":\"\",\"workflowStages\":[]},\"version\":\"v1\",\"identity\":\"rs-8503202\",\"journalConfig\":\"researchsquare\"},\"__N_SSP\":true},\"page\":\"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]\",\"query\":{\"redirect\":\"/article/rs-8503202\",\"identity\":\"rs-8503202\",\"version\":[\"v1\"]},\"buildId\":\"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd\",\"isFallback\":false,\"isExperimentalCompile\":false,\"dynamicIds\":[84888],\"gssp\":true,\"scriptLoader\":[]}","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}