Outdoor Recreation as an Asset for Youth Development in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor spaces remained one of the few places for youth recreation. Outdoor recreation and sport have been associated with positive youth development (PYD) prior to the pandemic, so we sought to test these relationships during the pandemic, accounting for self-efficacy and demographic factors that may be associated with participation. To achieve this aim, we conducted an online survey of United States youth (N=116) aged 12-17. Higher levels of PYD during the pandemic were associated with higher levels of school-based sport prior to the pandemic, community-based sport during the pandemic, and outdoor time prior to and during the pandemic. Self-efficacy, but not demographics, was associated with outdoor time. Outdoor recreation should be promoted for youth as it is positively associated with PYD, especially when other forms of recreation are restricted. Recreation professionals should foster self-efficacy and ensure that opportunities for outdoor recreation are equitably accessible.