Abstract
During adolescence, there is an increased need for quality peer interactions as adolescents seek to establish identities that expand beyond the family unit (Wagner, 1996). The COVID-19 pandemic isolated many youth away from consistently engaging with their peers and led to an increase in mental health challenges (Madigan et al., 2023). Following the pandemic, a return to organized sport provided youth with opportunities to be physically active, develop social bonds with peers, and restore a sense of belonging. MLSE LaunchPad (LP) is a youth community center in Toronto which provides access to sport and physical activity programming, creating an optimal environment for group membership, youth development, and mental health promotion. The purpose of the research was to understand social identity and mental health among MLSE LP youth following the COVID-19 pandemic. Six focus group interviews were completed with 38 youth (Mage = 12.03). Utilizing the three dimensions of social identity as a theoretical lens, deductive thematic analysis was completed to determine participants’ social identification with MLSE LP. Participants reported a sense of connection and belonging with MLSE LP (ingroup ties), and feelings of excitement, happiness, and pride (in group affect) while participating in sport programming at MLSE LP. Additionally, participants shared that MLSE LP enhances their mental health by providing a family outside of the home to connect with friends and an environment to be themselves. Collectively, the study findings advance our understanding of the benefits of fostering social identity in community sport to enhance youth mental health.
