Relation between self-esteem and academic performance in university students who practice sports recreationally: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

This systematic review analyzes recent literature on the relationship between self-esteem and academic performance in university students who practice sports recreationally, identifying how engaging in both activities affects them. To conduct the review, 15 articles published between 2010 and 2025 were selected from scientific databases, taking into account literature in Spanish and English and various research articles. Most of the results obtained in the research were through the Rosenberg Scale, which is used to quickly and efficiently identify the level of self-esteem in the person to whom it is applied. According to the results, it is clear that practicing a sport recreationally as a university student has positive effects on young people's self-esteem, as it promotes self-concept and academic performance.