Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences research has shown that supportive and secure attachment experiences can buffer against stress exposure during periods of high brain development and promote new patterns of tolerance to stress. This article draws on attachment theory to critically examine the importance of positive relationships for youth who have experienced trauma in promoting the development of neural pathways associated with social and emotional well-being, self-regulation, and stress tolerance. Grounded in a neurobiological understanding of disrupted attachments in the wake of trauma, this article examines the role of sport as a form of tolerable stress. In the presence of supportive relationships (coaches, mentors, peers), sport is uniquely suited to introduce stress in manageable doses and promote body awareness, regulation, and cognitive capacities to offset the long-term negative impacts of toxic stress on developing youth.
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Folco, M. The Neurobiological Impact of Trauma on Youth Development: Restoring Relationships and Regulation Through Sport. Child Adolesc Soc Work J (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-023-00937-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-023-00937-w