Development Of Interpersonal Communication Skills Through Sport Among University Student-Athletes; A Cross Sectional Survey

Abstract

Various researchers have acknowledged the role that sport has played in developing an important life skill among its participants. However, limited research has examined the role of sport in the development of life skills, especially among the university student-athletes of the homeland country Pakistan. Keeping this into consideration, the present study examined the life skills development through competitive sports among university’ student-athletes. The required data were collected through a self-made structured questionnaire conducted with university’ student-athletes (n=335) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Results indicated that: 1) sport has played an important role in developing an important life skill of interpersonal communication among university student-athletes (p < 0.05), 2) The analyzed data describe that there exist statistically significant differences between university male and female student-athletes in Inter-personal communication skills (males=3.8517; females=3.5621), and 3) team sport-participants reported higher mean scores on interpersonal communication skills(team sport-participants=3.8528; individual sport-participants=3.5333). These findings may help in elucidating new ways in which sports can simultaneously facilitate the overall development of student-athletes by providing an opportunity for positive youth development in the Universities. Furthermore, a consideration on how life skills are developed through sports in light of the views of student-athletes offers a unique lens into the juncture of sport and life skills and academic development