FEPSAC Webinar: Developing social-emotional skills in at-risk adolescents through sport participation (Pedro Teques)

TUESDAY 6th MAY 2025

12:30 CET

The webinar “Developing social-emotional skills in at-risk adolescents through sport participation” is based on an action-research program aimed to promote these competencies in at-risk adolescents through sports participation. The program was conducted in three complementary phases: (a) An initial qualitative study using focus groups with youth participants to identify needs and perceptions regarding sport as an educational tool; (b) A quantitative study using validated questionnaires to assess social-emotional competencies, engagement and well-being indicators; (c) Implementation of an intervention program based on mentoring, in which professional athletes served as positive role models fostering meaningful relationships and intentional learning within the sport context. The results indicate significant improvements in reduciong behavioral problems and promoting social and emotional skills (e.g., emotional regulation), as well as ana increased perception of social support among the youth. The study reinforces the role of sport as a powerful vehicle for social inclusion and personal development.

PEDRO TEQUES

Pedro Teques is a lecturer in sport and exercise psychology in the Polytechnic Institute of Maia. He graduated in Psychology with specialization in sport psychology. Then, he completes his MS and PhD in sport and exercise psychology at the Faculty of Human Kinetics of the University of Lisbon. In 2009 he received the prize for best students at the University of Lisbon, and one of his PhD studies received the prize in the Young Investigators competition at the anual congress of the Portuguese Society of Sport Psychology in 2014. Pedro is author of more than 50 peer-reviewed papers in the area of the psychosocial influences on sport performance and development. Currently, he is the President of the Portuguese Society of Sport Psychology (SPPD) and he is responsible for the mental health program of the Professional Footballer’s Union in Portugal. He is also a chartered psychologist with the Order of Portugues Psychologists. For over 15 years, he has consulted with athletes, referees, coaches, and parents in several sports (e.g., football, handball, gymnastics, tra shooting, racing drivers). Since 2018, he has been part of the Health and Performance Unit of the Portuguese Football Federation, where he works with football refereeing.