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Exploring the Mechanisms of Children’s Physical Activity Behavior on the School Playground

Chen, Yung-Ju
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu159537253755685

Abstract Details

2020, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Kinesiology.
Many of the nation’s children do not meet the recommendations for physical activity for health. The national physical activity plan identifies schools as a primary institution that can help promote moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children with recess being one point in the school day where children can choose whether they are active or sedentary. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the underlying mechanisms that drive students’ self-selected physical activity and sedentary behavior (SB) on the playground. A secondary purpose was to implement the “Aim to Play” physical activity intervention to promote MVPA in children, although this part of the research plan could not be implemented due to the closing of public schools due to Covid19. Social cognitive theory and Stodden et al.’s (2008) developmental trajectory model guided the selection of variables of interest. A total of 52 third-grade (28 boys, 24girls) and 67 fourth-grade (41 boys, 26 girls) students were recruited from two suburban schools in a Midwestern city. Data were collected at three time-points: (a) percentage of time in MVPA and SB during the school day and recess; (b) body mass index (BMI); (c) fundamental motor skill (FMS) competence; (d) perceived motor competence, (e) perceived peer acceptance, (f) knowledge of playground activity, (g) activity types on the playground, (h) social group size on the playground, and (i) social interactions on the playground. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, multilinear regressions, analyses of variance (ANOVAs), Kruskal-Wallis tests, and multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to test the hypotheses. The results revealed that the third and fourth graders spent approximately 60% of their school time in SB and a wide range of time (2-44%) in MVPA during recess. The participants demonstrated low levels of FMS competence while perceiving themselves to be “pretty good” (approximately 3.0) in physical competence and having “pretty many friends”(approximately 3.0). On the playground, the students spent most of their time in locomotion, sports, verbal/nonverbal social interactions, and engaged in small groups. Sex differences were found in students’ MVPA (p < .01) and SB (p < .001) during recess and ball skill competence (p < .01). Boys spent more recess time in sports than girls, and girls spent significantly more time in physical prosocial interactions than boys. Sex was a strong predictor of recess MVPA and inversely related to SB. Along with sex, students’ overall FMS competence, object control (ball) skill competence, knowledge of playground activity, and perceived peer acceptance were positively associated with the time they spent in MVPA during recess. Furthermore, students’ perceived peer acceptance and perceived motor skill competence inversely correlated with recess time in SB. Moreover, students who were developmentally delayed in object control (ball) skill competence spent significantly less time in MVPA during recess compared with their typically developing peers. The findings from this study highlight the concerns about physical inactivity and low motor competence with children from a suburban setting. Besides developing motor competence, knowledge, and social and peer relationships seem to be the factors to consider when analyzing and promoting recess physical activity in elementary school students. Further studies are needed to understand the roles of knowledge and social and peer relationship in children’s self-selected physical activity better. A playground intervention “Aim to Play” was developed for promoting fourth-grade students’ self-selected physical activity on the playground through multiple avenues. Aim to Play is a school-based program that consists of a 5-day physical education unit on playground activities, goal setting practice, a playground leader system, and visual cues on the playground. This intervention was not able to be implemented due to covid19. Further research is needed to examine the effects of Aim to Play on elementary school students’ self-selected physical activity on the playground.
Jacqueline Goodway (Advisor)
Phillip Ward (Committee Member)
Sue Sutherland (Committee Member)
265 p.
Education; Elementary Education; Kinesiology; Physical Education; Teacher Education
Fundamental Motor Skills, Perceived Motor Competence, Perceived Peer Acceptance, Recess, Sedentary Behavior, Goal-Setting, Physical Education

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Chen, Y.-J. (2020). Exploring the Mechanisms of Children’s Physical Activity Behavior on the School Playground [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu159537253755685

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Chen, Yung-Ju. Exploring the Mechanisms of Children’s Physical Activity Behavior on the School Playground. 2020. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu159537253755685.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Chen, Yung-Ju. "Exploring the Mechanisms of Children’s Physical Activity Behavior on the School Playground." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu159537253755685

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu159537253755685
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.