Analysis of Self-Concept in Adolescents before and during COVID-19 Lockdown: Differences by Gender and Sports Activity

Gabriel González-Valero, Félix Zurita-Ortega, David Lindell-Postigo, Javier Conde-Pipó, Wilhelm Robert Grosz and Georgian Badicu
Additional contact information
Gabriel González-Valero: Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n 18071 Granada, Spain
Félix Zurita-Ortega: Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n 18071 Granada, Spain
David Lindell-Postigo: Novaschool Sunland International, Estación de Cártama-Málaga, Carretera de Cártama Estación a Pizarra, s/n 29580 Cártama, Spain
Javier Conde-Pipó: Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n 18071 Granada, Spain
Wilhelm Robert Grosz: Department of Physical Education and Special Motricity, Faculty of Physical Education and Mountain Sports, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500068 Brasov, Romania
Georgian Badicu: Department of Physical Education and Special Motricity, Faculty of Physical Education and Mountain Sports, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500068 Brasov, Romania

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: An appeal has been issued to the scientific community to investigate physical, mental and emotional states, and pro-social behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, this study aims to investigate adolescents’ self-concept before and during a lockdown period in relation to gender and type/amount of physical activity or sports. The pre-lockdown sample of 366 adolescents were aged 13–17 years (M = 15.51 ± 0.65), of whom 192 (52.5%) were females and 174 (47.5%) were males. During the lockdown, the age range of the sample was 13–17 years (M = 14.57 ± 1.47), of whom 82 (60.3%) were females, and 54 (39.7%) were males. The Form-5 Self-concept Questionnaire (AF-5) was used to measure adolescents’ self-concept. There was a reduction in adolescents’ overall self-concept during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was positively associated with emotional well-being, with family and peers being essential factors in the development of an appropriate self-concept. Furthermore, girls’ self-concept, especially academic self-concept, was higher than that of boys during the lockdown. However, both physical and emotional self-concept were higher for boys than girls before the COVID-19 lockdown, although no differences were found during the lockdown. The findings reveal that physical activity was positively correlated to self-concept before and during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Keywords: self-concept; physical activities; lockdown; COVID-19; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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