Basketball as a Tool to Promote Wellness for Youth and Young Adults of Color
The Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies awarded the 2025 Pilot Funds to support innovative research initiatives among graduate students. Among this year’s recipients is Dr. Alexander Gamble, whose project, “Basketball as a Tool to Promote Wellness for Youth and Young Adults of Color,” explores how basketball participation can serve as a strength-based strategy to enhance holistic wellness among youth and young adults of color (YYAC). Dr. Gamble investigated the benefits of basketball participation through the lens of the Eight Dimensions of Wellness model. It positions sport not only as a vehicle for physical health but also as a culturally relevant means of supporting emotional, social, and spiritual wellness, ultimately aiming to prevent illness and promote overall resilience.
The study’s specific aims were:
- Explore the perceived wellness benefits of basketball participation among YYAC.
- Identify how basketball supports wellness across the Eight Dimensions of Wellness.
- Co-develop a culturally grounded model of wellness—the Basketball Wellness Model—based on participants lived experiences.
- Inform the creation of strength-based treatment manuals that incorporate sport and physical activity as adjunctive or alternative approaches to traditional mental healthcare.
Using purposive and snowball sampling methods, the study recruited 12 participants who self-identified as people of color, including six male participants and six female participants between the ages of 18 and 25, and who actively engaged in basketball-related games/activities. All 12 participants engaged in the practice of member reflections, which served a dual purpose: to co-develop the Basketball Wellness Model (BWM) and to ensure participants lived experiences were accurately represented. These member reflections were also designed to foster community and collaboration by providing participants with meaningful opportunities to contribute to academic research. Dr. Gamble’s research successfully met these objectives, culminating in the development of the Basketball Wellness Model, also known as the Starting Five for Basketball Wellness. The findings highlight basketball’s unique potential as an accessible activity that supports health and wellness. This study lays a strong foundation for Dr. Gamble’s future research at the intersection of sport, health, and the lived experiences of young adults. His next phase will adopt a mixed-methods approach to test and refine the Basketball Wellness Model across various contexts—including schools, after-school programs, competitive sport teams, non-profit initiatives, and community recreation.
Since graduating with his doctorate from Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Dr. Gamble has transitioned to a new role as Associate Director for Student-Athlete Psychological Services at St. John’s University. In his new role, Dr. Gamble will be providing mental health and performance services to student-athletes while collaborating with coaches, athletic trainers, and staff to foster an environment conducive to wellness and performance within the athletic department and campus community.