Why Teams Sports May Be Better for Your Child's Mental Health Than an Individual Sport  Healthline.com

A new studyTrusted Source  of children in the United States concludes that participating in team sports is better for children’s mental health than playing individual sports.

In addition, researchers report that participating in an individual sport such as tennis or wrestling is actually associated with greater mental health difficulties than playing no sports at all.

Their findings run counter to some previous researchTrusted Source  stating that participation in any youth sport helps guard children against mental health difficulties.,,

(see link below for full article....)

Stacy Haynes, a therapist at Little Hands Family Services in Turnersville, New Jersey, agrees the benefits can depend on the individual child.

“As a therapist for autistic children and children with anxiety, individual sports are best,” Haynes told Healthline. “Neurodiverse children often struggle in team sports due to their own perceptions of the game, their teammates, social pressures, etc.”

“Therapists will actually recommend individual sports such as track, tennis, swimming, and karate for youth who have neurodevelopmental differences that interfere with their ability to play sports,” he noted. “(For example) kids who have low frustration tolerance with teammates (and) youth who have anxiety performing in front of others or letting down their team. Even sensory concerns in team sports can make it difficult for youth to participate ex. loud crowds, teammates shouting.”

“Not all sports are created equal and neither are our children,” she noted.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-teams-sports-may-be-better-for-a-childs-mental-health-than-an-individual-sport