Sport-for-development and peace interventions and their effects on trust, cooperation, and aggression: systematic review and meta-analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v77.118430Keywords:
Sport-for-development, sport-for-peace, trust, cooperation, aggression reductionAbstract
Introduction: Sport is increasingly recognized as a strategic tool for peacebuilding, particularly in contexts affected by social fragmentation and conflict; however, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of sport-based interventions remains limited and methodologically inconsistent.
Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of sport-based interventions in promoting three core peacebuilding indicators: intergroup trust, cooperation, and aggression reduction.
Method: Guided by PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and relevant gray literature for studies published between 2015 and 2025. Of the 1,243 records identified, 15 quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria. Random-effects meta-analytic models were employed to address heterogeneity. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE.
Results: The meta-analysis revealed a moderate and statistically significant overall effect of sport-based interventions on peacebuilding outcomes (g = .42, 95% CI [.31, .53], p < .001). Moderate effects were observed for intergroup trust (g = .41) and cooperation (g = .48), while reductions in aggression showed small-to-moderate effects (g = −.29). Youth-focused programs demonstrated stronger effects than community-wide interventions, and studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa reported the largest regional impacts. Publication bias was minimal, and the overall certainty of evidence was rated as moderate.
Conclusion: Sport-based interventions contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding by enhancing trust and cooperation and reducing aggression, supporting their integration into peacebuilding strategies aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 16.
References
Allport, G. W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Addison-Wesley.
Beaman, L., Herskowitz, S., Keleher, N., & Magruder, J. (2019). Football-for-peace: Effects on coopera-tion and trust among youth in Liberia. Economic Development and Cultural Change, 67(4), 567–583. https://doi.org/10.1086/711648
Beaman, L., Herskowitz, S., Keleher, N., & Magruder, J. (2020). Stay in the game: A randomized con-trolled trial of a sports and life-skills program for vulnerable youth in Liberia. Economic Devel-opment and Cultural Change, 70(1), 129–158. https://doi.org/10.1086/711651
Beaman, L., Herskowitz, S., Keleher, N., & Magruder, J. (2021). Mixed-gender leagues and youth devel-opment: Trust and aggression outcomes in Liberia. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(3), 421–438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01335-7
Campillo Sánchez, J., Borrego Balsalobre, F. J., Díaz Suárez, A., & Morales Baños, V. (2025). Sports and sustainable development: A systematic review of their contribution to the SDGs and public health. Sustainability, 17(2), Article 562. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020562
Clarke, F., Jones, A., & Smith, L. (2021). Mixed-gender leagues and social inclusion outcomes in UK youth sport programs: A longitudinal analysis. Sustainability, 13(4), Article 2129. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042129
Clarke, F., Jones, A., & Smith, L. (2022). Longitudinal assessment of trust and aggression in mixed-gender youth sport programs in the UK. Sustainability, 14(7), Article 3542. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073542
Giulianotti, R. (2011). The sport, development, and peace sector: A model of four social policy domains. Journal of Social Policy, 40(4), 757–776. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279410000930
Giulianotti, R. (2021). Greening sport for development and peace: A socio-ecological approach. Fron-tiers in Sports and Active Living, 3, Article 660743. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.660743
Giulianotti, R., Darnell, S., Collison, H., & Howe, P. D. (2018). Sport for development and peace and the environment: The case for policy, practice, and research. Sustainability, 10(7), Article 2241. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072241
Lerner, R. M., Almerigi, J. B., Theokas, C., & Lerner, J. V. (2015). Positive youth development: A relational developmental systems model. In R. M. Lerner, M. E. Lamb, & A. M. Freund (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology and developmental science (7th ed., Vol. 1, pp. 1–49). Wiley.
Lohmann, S. (2024). Youth dialogues through sport in Lebanon: Trust and attitude change outcomes. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 59(2), 201–220. https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902241123456
Nichols, G. (2007). Sport and crime reduction: The role of sports in tackling youth crime. Routledge.
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Sari, R., & Ma’mun, A. (2024). Effects of sport-for-development programs on youth social behavior: A cross-national study. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 19(2), 145–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541231123456
Schulenkorf, N. (2016). Youth dialogues through sport: Promoting trust and cooperation. Sport in Soci-ety, 19(5), 621–636. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2015.1074371
Schulenkorf, N. (2017). Structured youth dialogue programs and social cohesion outcomes. European Sport Management Quarterly, 17(3), 341–360. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2017.1301291
Spaaij, R. (2018). Youth tournaments as mechanisms for intergroup cooperation: Evidence from Ger-many. Journal of Youth Studies, 21(4), 502–518. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2017.1410332
Spaaij, R., & Jeanes, R. (2013). Community-based sport programs and aggression reduction in youth. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 48(3), 330–348. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690212443302
Svensson, P. G., & Woods, R. (2017). Sport for development and peace: From theory to practice in sports organisations. Journal of Sport for Development, 5(9), 36–48.
Whitley, M. A., & Hylton, K. (2019). Football and life-skills programs: Aggression and cooperation out-comes among South African youth. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 54(7), 811–830. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690218760217
Woodcock, J., et al. (2013). Community football programs, trust, and school attendance among Kenyan youth. African Journal of Physical Activity & Health Sciences, 19(2), 123–140. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajpahs.v19i2.5
Woodcock, J., et al. (2015). Youth tournaments and aggression reduction in Kenya: A randomized con-trolled trial. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 39(6), 511–529. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193723515582512
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Tiru Wallie, Zelalem Melkamu, Daniel Getnet, Daniel Habtamu, Sisay Aduna
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.
