Table 2 Longitudinal associations of examined characteristics of sports participation with internalizing problems (N = 487)

Sports participation

Nonathletes

Reference

Reference

Membership sports club

−0.25

< 0.001***

− 0.37 to − 0.13

−0.25

< 0.001***

− 0.37 to − 0.13

Frequency of sports participation

High sports actives

Reference

Reference

Moderate sports actives

0.02

0.71

−0.09 - 0.13

0.04

0.42

−0.06 - 0.15

Low sports actives

0.17

0.004**

0.05–0.28

0.13

0.02*

0.02–0.24

Nonathletes

0.33

< 0.001***

0.18–0.47

0.32

< 0.001***

0.17–0.47

Individual versus team sports

Individual sports

Reference

Reference

Team sports

−0.10

0.09

− 0.21 - 0.02

− 0.08

0.20

− 0.20 - 0.04

Individual as well as team sports

−0.01

0.87

−0.15 - 0.13

0.02

0.84

− 0.14 - 0.17

Nonathletes

0.19

0.01**

0.05–0.34

0.14

0.10

−0.02 - 0.30

Indoor versus outdoor sports

Indoor sports

Reference

Reference

Outdoor sports

−0.28

< 0.001***

− 0.38 to − 0.17

−0.22

< 0.001***

− 0.34 to − 0.11

Indoor as well as outdoor sports

− 0.10

0.20

− 0.25 - 0.05

− 0.08

0.30

− 0.24 - 0.08

Nonathletes

0.10

0.16

−0.04 - 0.24

0.10

0.23

−0.06 - 0.25

Contact versus non-contact sports

Non-contact sports

Reference

Reference

Contact sports

−0.19

0.001***

− 0.30 to − 0.09

− 0.12

0.05*

−0.25 - 0.00

Non-Contact as well as contact sports

−0.07

0.34

−0.22 - 0.08

− 0.05

0.53

− 0.20 - 0.10

Nonathletes

0.16

0.02*

0.02–0.29

0.19

0.01**

0.05–0.32

Involvement in competition or not

Competition

Reference

Reference

Training activities

0.16

0.003**

0.05–0.27

0.09

0.15

−0.03 - 0.22

Nonathletes

0.30

< 0.001***

0.17–0.43

0.29

0.01**

0.08–0.43