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Special Issue "Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth"

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A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2023 | Viewed by 4967

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francisco Javier Huertas-Delgado

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Guest Editor

Department of Corporal, Plastic, and Musical Expression, La Inmaculada Teacher Training Centre, University of Granada, 18013 Granada, Spain
Interests: physical activity; active commuting; physical education; education; school; independent mobility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Manuel Herrador-Colmenero

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Guest Editor

Department of Corporal, Plastic, and Musical Expression, La Inmaculada Teacher Training Centre, University of Granada, 18013 Granada, Spain
Interests: physical activity; commuting; independent mobility; childhood; intervention programs; educational strategies; school
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Insufficient levels of physical activity in youth are a major health concern, with children and adolescents across the world not meeting the current physical activity recommendations developed by the World Health Organization (i.e., at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). At this time, increasing young people’s physical activity levels is crucial so as to achieve all the health and social benefits it offers. There are several domains that compose active living where physical activity could be increased, including household activities, occupational activities (as school), recreational activities and transportation. Consequently, in a school context, physical education lessons and teachers are particularly important. In this sense, it is crucial to study all that correlates to physical activity during physical education and school days. Moreover, interventions focusing on increasing physical activity in all physical living domains are important to allow for healthier children and healthy future adults.

Dr. Francisco Javier Huertas-Delgado
Dr. Manuel Herrador-Colmenero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

physical education
physical activity
children
adolescents
youth
games
interventions

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Investigating Links between Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity and Self-Rated Health Status in Adolescents: The Mediating Roles of Emotional Intelligence and Psychosocial Stress

and

Children 2023, 10(7), 1106; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071106 - 25 Jun 2023

Viewed by 630

Abstract

Adolescence represents a crucial phase, characterized by rapid physical and mental development and numerous challenges. Physical activity plays a vital role in the mental well-being of adolescents; however, due to the prevailing educational philosophy prioritizing academic performance, adolescent participation in physical activities has yet to reach its full potential. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effects of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on adolescents’ emotional intelligence, psychosocial stress, and self-rated health status. To achieve this objective, a cluster sampling method was employed to collect data from 600 adolescents in 10 schools across five municipal districts of Changsha, China. A total of 426 valid questionnaires were returned and analyzed. Utilizing AMOS v.23, a structural equation model was constructed to validate the hypotheses. The findings reveal that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity significantly impacts adolescents’ emotional intelligence and self-rated health status. Conversely, it exerts a significant negative influence on their psychosocial stress. Moreover, emotional intelligence and psychosocial stress mediate the relationship between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and self-rated health status. In light of these results, education departments, schools, and families must embrace a paradigm shift in educational philosophies and provide robust support for adolescents to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth)

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Open AccessArticle

Could the Hybridization of the SE/TGfU Pedagogical Models Be an Alternative for Learning Sports and Promoting Health? School Context Study

Ismael López-Lemus

Fernando Del Villar

Amparo Rodríguez-Gutiérrez

Jara González-Silva

and

Alberto Moreno

Children 2023, 10(5), 877; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050877 - 13 May 2023

Viewed by 745

Abstract

The present study aims to analyze the influence of the Sport Education (SE)/Teaching for understanding (TGfU) hybrid unit on enjoyment, perceived competence, intention to be physically active, skill execution, decision making, performance and game involvement. A short-term (12-lesson) pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design was conducted in two groups: control (technical approach: 70 students; age = 14.43 ± 0.693; n = 32 female) and experimental (hybrid unit SE–TGfU: 67 students; age = 13.91 ± 0.900; n = 30 female). The coding instrument was based on the Game performance Assessment Instrument. The Enjoyment and Perceived Competence Scale and the Measure of Intentionality to be Physically Active questionnaire were also used. The results of pairwise comparisons between the groups showed higher post-test scores for most dependent variables for boys and girls using the hybrid SE/TGfU unit. Lower post-test scores were found in pairwise comparisons for several dependent variables in both boys and girls. The present study showed that the application of hybrid models SE/TGfU could increase and help facilitate students’ game involvement and game performance, enjoyment, perceived competence and intention to be physically active, in both boys and girls. In future studies, it would be necessary to analyze psychological variables in the educational context for a deeper assessment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth)

Open AccessArticle

Primary Students’ Attitudes towards Peers with Disabilities in Physical Education in Saudi Arabia

Majed M. Alhumaid

Children 2023, 10(3), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030580 - 18 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1012

Abstract

The attitudes of students without disabilities toward their peers with disabilities are considered an important determinant of successful inclusion in physical education settings. Nonetheless, there is limited research on this topic in non-Western societies, especially in Arab contexts. Thus, to address this paucity in the literature, this study aimed to assess the general attitudes of Saudi students without disabilities towards their peers with disabilities and examine the associations between selected student-related variables (e.g., gender, age, type of school, school location, having a family member or a friend or a classmate with a disability, and having experience of playing with a person with a disability) and attitudes of students without disabilities. A total of 972 students aged 9–12 years old (M_age = 10.6; SD = 1.1; girls = 49.7%) completed the Arabic version of the Scale of Attitudes toward Students with Disabilities in Physical Education—Primary Education (SASDPE-PE). Data analysis indicated that, in general, participants reported positive attitudes toward their peers with disabilities in physical education classes. Despite boys being more likely to hold positive attitudes than girls, no significant difference between them existed. The results showed that 10-year-old participants reported more significantly positive attitudes than those in the other age groups. Participants attending public schools reported more significant positive attitudes toward their peers with disabilities in physical education classes compared to those attending private schools. Having a friend with a disability was linked to students without disabilities having positive attitudes towards their peers with disabilities. In contrast, having a family member or a classmate with disabilities and having played with a person with a disability were not related to such positive attitudes. The current study’s findings have significant implications for inclusive educational practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth)

Open AccessArticle

Teaching Games for Understanding in Game Performance and Psychosocial Variables: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Control Trial

Marcos Ortiz

Lourdes Meroño

María T. Morales-Belando

Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal

and

Noelia González-Gálvez

Children 2023, 10(3), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030573 - 17 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1145

Abstract

Different authors have reported on the influence of the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) intervention on game performance and psychosocial variables. This review aimed: (a) to explore the TGfU experimental studies; (b) to compare the effects of the TGfU vs. technical approach pedagogy on game performance; and (c) to determine the effect of the TGfU approach on game performance and psychosocial variables (motivational climate, task orientation, perceived competence and enjoyment). This systematic review with meta-analysis adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Four databases (PubMed, WOS, EBSCO and Google scholar metasearch) were searched. Study quality was measured with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) score. Thirteen studies were included. A pooled analysis of all interventions demonstrated a large significant improvement in decision making for TGfU when compared to technical approach pedagogy (SMD = 5.93, I2 = 98%; CI (95%) = 2.15–9.71; p = 0.004) and no differences between groups for skill execution (SMD = 1.70; I2 = 8%; CI (95%) = −5.34–8.73; p = 0.60). The effect of a TGfU intervention on game performance is strong (decision making, execution skills and tactical skills). Moderate evidence is reported by psychosocial variables (motivational climate, task orientation, perception of motivation and achievement in physical education). In addition, it is unclear its effect on perceived competence, enjoyment, knowledge of the game and intention to be physically active. TGfU intervention could be an appropriate approach for males and females in the context of education or sport. There is a need for a greater number of studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth)

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Open AccessReview

The Concept of Moving School and Its Practical Implementation in Bavarian Higher Secondary Schools

Paul Englert

Christian Andrä

and

Yolanda Demetriou

Children 2023, 10(8), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10081395 - 16 Aug 2023

Viewed by 453

Abstract

The roles of physical activity and the reduction in sedentary activities in the healthy physical, psychosocial and mental development of children and adolescents are undisputed. This is where the concept of Moving School comes in, which has been expanded to a holistic approach that takes into account all areas of the school, including lessons, after-school care and breaks, and aims to provide students with a sufficient level of physical activity. There are no current studies that show to what extent this concept has arrived in the theoretical specifications for higher secondary schools and to what extent it is implemented in practice. In this study, by conducting a narrative review, we determine the core elements of the concept of Moving School. Furthermore, we analyse the extent to which these elements of Moving School are taken into account in the school curriculum, in published school programmes and on school homepages. In this study, we revealed that the concept of Moving School has hardly been implemented in practice in Bavarian higher secondary schools as mostly only single elements of it are referred to in the school curriculum, programmes and school homepages. It can therefore be assumed that the concept has not yet been able to achieve its intended effect, namely, to fill the daily lives of schoolchildren with movement, play and sport. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth)

Open AccessReview

Health Outcomes of Judo Training as an Organized Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents: A Literature Review

Monika Kowalczyk

Małgorzata Zgorzalewicz-Stachowiak

and

Maciej Kostrzewa

Children 2023, 10(8), 1290; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10081290 - 26 Jul 2023

Viewed by 387

Abstract

Judo, an organized physical activity for children and adolescents, has gained popularity worldwide. Physical activity is vital during times of rising obesity and a sedentary lifestyle in this age group. The article aims to review the current knowledge of the health benefits of judo-specific exercises for children and youth. Six international scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, UpToDate, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar) were searched from 1 January 2007 to 30 September 2022. The search focused on health-related factors regarding healthy preschool and school-aged judo practitioners. Sixteen original studies met the inclusion criteria. School-aged children aged 7–15 years were included in the analysis. The average training time was between two and six hours a week, with the judo intervention mainly ranging from nine months to three years. Most studies registered positive changes caused by judo training. The outcomes focused on maintaining or reducing body fat, increasing bone mineralization, and improving the function of the cardiorespiratory system compared to the non-practicing control group. However, there were no differences between judo and other sports groups. The main conclusions presented health benefits from judo-specific training in school-aged children and may support the World Health Organization recommendations concerning daily physical activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth)

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