The effects of violence in athletic competition on adolescent male athletes

Statement of the ProblemThe problem was to determine what factors influenced male adolescent athletes to perform violent acts during athletic competition.Pertinent QuestionsIn lieu of hypotheses, answers to the following questions were sought:1. What are the distinguishing factors causing violent acts by adolescent male athletes during athletic competition in a medium sized midwest rural town?2. What are the distinguishing factors causing violence during athletic competition in each of the three middle schools?3. What are the distinguishing factors causing violence during athletic competition in the high school male athletes?4. What are the differences in the causes of violent acts between middle school and high school male athletes?ProceduresAn instrument was developed to determine the factors which cause violent acts by male adolescents during athletic competition. A review of the literature suggested 11 factors to be considered for inclusion in the survey. A "Panel of Experts" including a coach, athletic director and a teacher were used to evaluate the survey as to the content and format. Then a pilot study was done by male athletes from middle school "C" to see if they could understand and fill out the survey without any problems. Four schools from a Midwest rural town were used to administer the survey to male adolescent athletes. The athletic directors at each middle school obtained consent from the participants and then administered the surveys. The adolescent male surveys were divided into four categories: middle school "A"; middle school "B"; middle school "C" and high school "D". A mean rating and mean rank value were calculated for each item for each group. The middle schools were combined to determine a middle school mean rating and mean rank value for each item and then compared with the high school results. A mean rating and mean rank value for each item was also calculated for the entire sample.FindingsThe data collected in this study indicate the following findings:1. The top five ranked factors influencing male adolescent athletes to perform violent acts during athletic competition were: frustration, incompetent officiating, peers, gangs, etc., winning at all costs, and a tie for fifth place was parents pushing too hard and no moral values. These top five factors were ranked number one by 100 of the 118 respondents. The factor, frustration, was chosen as the top ranked factor 35 percent of the time. The second choice of factors influencing athletes to become violent was incompetent officiating.2. Two out of three middle schools ranked incompetent officiating as one of the top three causes of violent behaviors. The high school ranked this very low. The results indicate that officials at the middle school athletic events may not be as competent as at the high school level.3. Peers, gangs, etc. were ranked in the top five of all groups except school "C". Its overall performance ranking was third to frustration. Gangs are becoming more evident in the community surveyed and the gangs are pressuring students into violent acts on and off the playing fields.4. Factors such as heckling fans and emulating sport heroes received very low rankings in each school and overall.5. The three middle schools ranked incompetent officiating higher than the high school. The high school ranked it eighth compared with the three middle schools rankings of first, third and sixth.ConclusionBased on the findings and limitations of this study, the following conclusions can be made:1. Male adolescent athletes deem frustration in athletics the cause of why athletes become overly aggressive and violent. Peers, gangs, etc. along with incompetent officials also make up a big part of the violence that is happening in athletic competition.2. Male adolescent athletes do not perceive heckling fans or emulating a sports hero as factors for athletes becoming violent in athletics.School of Physical EducationThesis (M.A.