Influence of Organized Recreational Sport Program Participation on Social Cohesion of Child Offenders in Rehabilitation Schools in Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47604/ijp.3738Keywords:
Organized Recreational Sports, Child Offenders, Social Cohesion, Rehabilitation Schools, Psychosocial Well-BeingAbstract
Purpose: Child offence in Kenya poses a challenge, with rehabilitation schools using sports to improve emotional, psychological, and social skills, but limited research exists on sports' impact on social cohesion in these settings. This study examined the effect of participation in an organized recreational sports program on social cohesion among child offenders in Kenyan government rehabilitation schools.
Methodology: Adopting a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design, the research involved 188 purposively selected participants (boys and girls aged 11–18 years) from five schools (Getathuru, Wamumu, Kabete, Othaya, and Kirigiti/Dagoretti). The 8-week intervention consisted of structured soccer sessions for boys and netball for girls, delivered three times weekly for 60 minutes per session by trained coaches, with emphasis on teamwork, fair play, communication, inclusion, and interdependence. Social cohesion was measured using the Teamwork Scale for Youth, administered pre- and post-intervention to 129 participants.
Findings: Descriptive statistics revealed a substantial increase in mean and standard deviation teamwork scores from 20.45 ± 7.99 pre-intervention to 34.36 ± 5.42 post-intervention. Categorical analysis showed a dramatic shift: low teamwork skills decreased from 68 to 3 participants, while high teamwork skills rose from 22 to 104. A Mann-Whitney U test confirmed a statistically significant difference (Z = -11.363, p < 0.001), rejecting the null hypothesis and indicating profound improvement in social cohesion following the program.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: These findings align with Hirschi’s social control theory and positive youth development frameworks, demonstrating that structured team sports strengthen attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief in prosocial norms, thereby enhancing harmony, mutual support, and a sense of belonging. Organized recreational sports emerge as a low-cost, effective rehabilitative strategy to mitigate isolation, reduce deviant tendencies, and facilitate reintegration. The study recommends integrating gender-sensitive sports programs into weekly rehabilitation schedules, allocating dedicated resources, and conducting longitudinal research to assess sustained impacts on recidivism and community outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Purity Kagwiria Mureithi, Prof. Elijah Gitonga Rintaugu, Beatrice Kathungu (PhD)
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