Playing team sports can help children who have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences a new study in the US says.

Released by the University of California the reports say playing a team sport in adolescence led to lower rates of anxiety and depression for people who had experienced trauma in childhood.

The study, called Association of Team Sports Participation With Long-term Mental Health Outcomes Among Individuals Exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences, looked at 9700 people, around half of whom had experienced some adverse childhood experience ACE.

The experiences included sexual abuse, mental abuse and parental alcohol abuse.

Warrick Wood, Massey University sports psychology lecturer, told the AM Show team sports are a great opportunity to learn a lot of different values and an opportunity to put yourselves out there.

"This particular study involved participants who were young and had been through adverse childhood experiences, the results suggest the individuals who became involved in team sports were less likely to develop anxiety and depression in later life, Wood told the AM Show.

"When we step back and evaluate these results it makes sense for people who have had these experiences than being involved in a sports team can support their needs."

For the full interview watch the video above.