Extracurricular Sport and Risk Behaviour : Are They Related?

This study focuses on the relationship between extracurricular activity (specifically, group and individual sports) and adolescent drinking behaviour. To examine how participation in sports is related to the frequency and intensity of alcohol consumption we use hierarchical regression analysis. Our sample consists of 2961 students from 29 vocational schools in St. Petersburg. We demonstrate that participation in individual and team sports increases the risk of teenagers being involved in drinking behaviour; however the frequency of regular alcohol consumption is not associated with participation in sports. Students' gender, socio-economic status and cultural capital, as well as residence status (living with parents or in the dorm) were significantly associated with teenage drinking behaviour: females and students living in a dorm were at greater risk of being involved in drinking, while regular alcohol consumption was more prevalent among males and students with a higher socio-economic status