En litteraturstudie om avhopp och fortsättning inom idrottsrörelsen

Sammanfattning: The study aims to generate new knowledge in dropout and continued sport participation among children and adolescent sports by examining previously published literature of the subject. The method uses a systematic review where factors based on previous research analyzed through a social ecological model that suggests behavior is affected by several levels of influence. Most studies used for this study were cross—sectional with a quantitative approach. Only a few of them stipulated the term ”dropout” or ”continuation of sport”. Prominent factors for dropouts and continuation of sports found in the review were located in the area of intrapersonal and interpersonal aspects and involved the athlete's competence, autonomy or relatedness. The review also discovered inequality in subjects regarding gender, biological development and socioeconomic status where previous research has been fragmentary. Future research should address different topics separately and with different kinds of study designs to identify more underlying factors that influence athletes’ decision-making on the subject. It also should clarify the term ”dropout” and ”continued sport participation” in order to broaden the perspective on the phenomenon.   Keywords: Dropout, sport participation, continue, youth, adolescence