Using a Sports Enrichment Program to Promote Resilience in Children from Low SES

Event Center A & B

The current study was a qualitative exploration of the impact of a sports enrichment program on developing skills that promote resilience in children of low socioeconomic status (SES). Children of low SES are at a disadvantage in the availability of protective factors that aid in developing resilience, and self-regulation and social competence have been found to be strong predictors of resilience (Baumgardner & Crothers, 2009; Benard, 1991). Evidence exists to suggest that out of school programs can enhance selfregulation and social competence in children (Bandy and Moore, 2010). Consistent with a traditional CBPR approach, a planning meeting was held between staff of the Boys and Girls Club of Waterman Gardens (BGC) and the members of the CARE lab from CSUSB. This meeting was used for both groups to collaborate about the components of a soccer enrichment program. Based on the results of this meeting, a three-month program consisting of hour long, weekly sessions, was developed. During each session, volunteers led the children (N = 12) through soccer drills, game play, and debriefing discussions. To measure the impact of the program, transcripts of the debriefing sessions were analyzed for important themes. Based on the analysis, persistence, optimism, and prosocial behavior emerged as important skills the children gleaned from the program. These results support that self-regulation skills and social competence, critical predictors of resilience, can be enhanced by utilizing after school programs. The findings also support a major assumption of CBPR that community members are in a prime position to determine the interventions most useful for their communities. In light of these findings, similar programs will be administered at the BGC.