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Purpose Sports participation is recommended by the mental health field. However, the picture of sports in the U.S. has shifted from school-based to private clubs and continued participation may be difficult for lower income families. The present study examined the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on total years playing sports, while exploring the influence of full scale IQ (FSIQ), as little research has assessed for intellectual ability as a barrier to youth participation. Methods The present study analyzed Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, 2nd Edition (WASI-II) FSIQ and SES, operationalized as maternal education level, data in a sample of youth athletes (n=69, 79.7% male), aged 8-18 years (mean=11.94). Participants competitively participated in soccer, basketball, baseball and/or American football. Multivariate linear regression investigated the influence of SES and FSIQ on total years playing sports. Results SES and FSIQ have a significant association with total years played (p<.001) and explain 23% of the variance, with a small combined effect size (r2 =.23). Individually, higher SES significantly predicted greater total years played (p=.005), while FSIQ did not (p=.15). Conclusions Higher SES predicted greater total years of sports participation among youth athletes, whereas FSIQ did not. This highlights a necessary focus for low-cost and accessible sporting programs. Due to the significant association with total years played, future research should examine the joint contributions of FSIQ and SES to sports participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The TOMM assesses whether examinees' memory performance is valid (Tombaugh, 1996). American football players have increased risk of invalid performance on baseline testing, possibly due to wanting to resume play after injury, and these results have been replicated in collegiate football players. America's four most popular sports are football, basketball, soccer and baseball. Youth football players remain understudied, and the sports at the highest risk of suboptimal performance are unknown. Methods A univariate analysis of covariance examined mean TOMM Trial 1 scores in baseline youth athletes (n=143, 79.9% male), comparing football players (n=79) and non-football players (n=64). Quade's ANCOVAs also examined soccer, baseball and basketball vs. non-respective sports players, excluding participants who played football (n=42, 23, 23, respectively). Gender was covaried. Results Youth athletes in the football group performed significantly worse on TOMM Trial 1 than participants in the non-football group (M=45.96, 47.81, respectively, p=.033). There were no group differences in performance on TOMM Trial 1 in soccer, baseball, and basketball players (p=.33,.35,.38, respectively). Conclusions These results indicate that youth athletes who play football may be at a higher risk of suboptimal test performance than other sports, similar to previous findings in older football players. More scrutiny for this population may be necessary during baseline testing in order to ensure the safest return to play possible. Education on concussion effects and the importance of valid baseline testing should also be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Performance validity testing (PVT) provides information about response bias in neuropsychological testing. Adult football players have increased risk of invalid performance on baseline testing, perhaps due to wanting to resume play following concussion. Youth athletes have shown similar behavior, yet youth football players remain under-studied. This study examined which PVTs have the best utility for youth athletes. Methods Three univariate analyses of covariance compared mean baseline test performance on three PVT's (Rey-15 item test combined, TOMM Trial 1, and Reliable Digit Span) in a youth athlete baseline evaluation sample (n=143, 79.9% male) ages 8-18 (mean=11.94) who played football (n=79) to those who played other sports (n=64). Gender was included as a covariate. Results Mean scores on TOMM trial 1 for youth football players were significantly lower than athletes who did not play football (M=45.96, 47.81, respectively, p=.033). There were no group differences on the RDS or Rey-15 item tests (p=.14,.88, respectively). Further, five football players failed TOMM trial 1, compared to one non-football player. Conclusions These results may indicate that the TOMM is more sensitive to validity performance in youth football players, compared to RDS and Rey-15. Youth may benefit from increased education on the consequences of premature return to play and importance of optimal performance on baseline testing. Continued research on PVTs for youth may help neuropsychologists make more informed decisions on PVT selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]