“It Might Also Be Good for Your Brain”: Cognitive and Social Benefits That Motivate Parents to Permit Youth Tackle Football

Abstract

Concussions in youth sports are a rising health concern. Between 1.7- and 3-million concussions occur each year in youth sport and recreation settings. This qualitative study investigated how parents assess the physical and social risks of allowing their children to participate in tackle football. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 sets of parents (N = 24) who had permitted their middle school aged children to play on tackle football teams. Guided by the theory of planned behavior, findings illustrate the complex risk decisions parents must make regarding football participation. Although parents in our study acknowledged the risk of concussions, they identified cognitive and social benefits of football participation that shaped positive attitudes toward football outcomes. Participants also noted social factors that limited control over their children’s football participation, including community pressures. The findings indicate key factors that motivate football enrollment, as parents must consider competing goals for their child of protection and development. Future research directions, theoretical implications, and practical applications are discussed.