This study examines research trends involving school athletic teams and relevant methodological structures. A total of 348 studies, consisting of 204 theses and dissertations and 144 journal articles, were collected from the RISS database from 2016 to March 31, 2026. The 2026 data were not interpreted as representing the entire year.
The data underwent quantitative content analysis and secondary in-depth coding. First-stage coding analyzed research methods, subjects, and topics; publication years; academic approaches; and major keywords, while second-stage coding examined analytical methods, data types, and research designs.
The largest proportion of research was qualitative studies (157; 45.1%), followed by quantitative studies (130; 37.4%), literature reviews (49; 14.1%), and mixed-methods studies (12; 3.4%). More than half of the research sample focused on socialization and culture (29.9%) and psychological adaptation (27.6%). Major keywords were “psychological stress,” “teacher and coach socialization,” “learning rights,” “motivation,” “sports violence,” “human rights,” “career transition,” and “sports club governance.” These findings suggest a shift in research on school athletic teams from performance-centered perspectives to broader educational, social, and ethical concerns, including student-athletes’ learning rights, human rights, psychological well-being, career development, and institutional support.
Meanwhile, evaluative research and mixed-methods studies remain limited. Research prospects include the expansion of longitudinal, evaluative, quasi-experimental, and mixed-methods approaches to examine how school athletic team policies and programs affect student-athletes’ lives and school practices.