Does life skills development within sport predict the social behaviours and sports values of youth futsal players?

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether life skills development in sport helps predict the social behaviours and sport values of youth futsal players. Participants included 113 Brazilian male futsal players (Mage = 13.52 years, SD = 1.32). Data collection was conducted via the Life Skills Scale for Sport (LSSS), the Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior in Sport Scale (PABSS) and the Youth Sport Values Questionnaires 2 (YSVQ-2). Multiple regression analyses found that all eight life skills combined influenced participants’ behaviour towards teammates, moral values, status, and competence in futsal. Goal setting, emotional skills, and communication skills negatively predicted antisocial behaviours towards teammates. Teamwork, goal setting, and communication positively predicted participants’ moral values and competence; whereas, emotional skills and leadership negatively predicted moral values and competence. Both teamwork and time management positively predicted participants’ status in futsal. In practice, the results suggest that coaches and parents should encourage youth sport participants to develop their life skills through sport. Developing life skills through sport should help prevent antisocial behaviours towards teammates and generally promote participants’ moral values, status and competence in sport.