Motivations for school physical education and sports activities: family contribution survey

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PhD, researcher A.I. Matochkina1
E.N. Petruk2
1St. Petersburg Research Institute of Physical Culture.
2Federal Research Center for Physical and Sports (FRS VNIIFR), Moscow

Keywords: schoolchildren, physical education and sports, family relations, motivations and values, physical activity, Health Behavior in School-aged Children.

Background. Common knowledge verified by modern research indicates that the schoolchildren health standards are largely determined by the family contributions dependent in their turn on the income level, family relationship, healthy/ bad habits of the adult family members etc. [4, 5]. Families are known to form the children’s behavioral models since the adults serve as the main role models for them [3, 6]. The school physical education and sports research in this context should give a special priority to the family climate on the whole and family contributions to the children’s physical education and sports motivations and preferences in particular.

Objective of the study was to analyze family contributions to the schoolchildren’s physical education and sports motivations and values.

Methods and structure of the study. The study was designed to complement the international Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) Project [1]. The HBSC Project team of Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Physical Culture has developed a Russian version of the HBSC website with a questionnaire survey form and a cloud database (http://hbsc-ru.com) plus a special survey data processing and analyzing software toolkit [2]. The 11, 13 and 15 year old sample was tested for the physical education and sports motivations influencing family climate aspects (communication, moral support, joint physical education practices, joint discussions and solutions etc.). For further analysis, the sample was split up into two physical activity (moderate to vigorous physical activity) groups reportedly trained 3 and 7 days a week – MVPA3 and MVPA7, respectively. Significance of the intergroup survey data differences was rated by the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test.

Results and discussion. The MVPA3 and MVPA7 groups were tested significantly different on the family behavioral stereotypes rating scales: thus MVPA7 reported more frequent sporting practices; joint morning exercises/ gymnastics/ jogging etc. (see Figures 1, 2); family discussions and joint solutions; better moral support from and better communication in their families.

 

Figure 1. Family sporting practices reported by the MVPA3 and MVPA7 groups

The MVPA7 reported more frequent family sporting practices than MVPA3. Thus the MVPA7 11-year-old boys and girls were 57% and 52.3% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 19.5% and 20.6% in their MVPA3 peers (p <0.05); the 13-year-old MVPA7 boys and girls were 42.8% and 27.8% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 15.5% and 9.4% in MVPA3 group (p <0.05); and the 15-year-old MVPA7 boys and girls were 32.3%  and 26.4% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 26.4% and 8.5% in MVPA3 group (p <0.05).

Figure 2. Family morning exercises/ jogging/ gymnastics reported by the MVPA3 and MVPA7 groups

On the family morning exercises/ jogging/ gymnastics rating scale, the MVPA7 group was also tested higher than the MVPA3 group. Thus the 11-year-old MVPA7 boys and girls were 80.9% and 79.8% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 53.9% and 56.2% in MVPA3 group (p <0.05); MVPA7 13-year-old boys and girls were tested 75.6% and 60% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 43.1% and 46.3% in MVPA3 group (p <0.05); and MVPA7 15-year-old boys and girls were 64.8% and 66.7% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 52.2% and 46.9% in the MVPA3 group (p <0.05). 

On the joint family discussions and solutions rating scale, the MVPA7 group was also tested higher than MVPA3 group. Thus the MVPA7 11-year-old boys and girls were 46,4% and 43,1% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 27,8% and 43,1% in MVPA3 group (p <0.05); MVPA7 13-year-old boys and girls were tested 42,7% and 47,9% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 27,2% and 25,5% in MVPA3 group (p <0.05); and MVPA7 15-year-old boys and girls were tested 42,1% and 46,7% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 25,1% and 25,4% in MVPA3 group (p<0.05). 

On the family support rating scale, the MVPA7 group was also tested higher than MVPA3 group. Thus the MVPA7 11-year-old boys and girls were 78,5% and 71% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 57,9% and 63,3% in MVPA3 group (p<0.05); MVPA7 13-year-old boys and girls were tested 75,4% and 69,9% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 45,7% and 51,4% in MVPA3 group (p<0.05); and the

 MVPA7 15-year-old boys and girls were tested 65,1% and 59,8% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 40,4% and 45,3% in MVPA3 group (p <0.05). 

Furthermore, on the family communication rating scale, MVPA7 group was also tested higher than MVPA3 group. Thus on the mother communication scale, the MVPA7 11-year-old boys and girls were 57,3% and 55,7% respectively) positive versus 43,4% and 41% in MVPA3 group (p<0.05); MVPA7 13-year-old boys and girls were tested 50% and 44,4% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 29,3% and 34,8% in MVPA3 group (p<0.05); and the MVPA7 15-year-old boys and girls were tested 48,3% and 50,5% (respectively) positive on the scale versus 29,8% and 35% in MVPA3 group (p<0.05). And on the father communication scale, the MVPA7 11-year-old boys and girls were 39,7% and 27,3% (respectively) positive versus 27,6% and 18,8% in MVPA3 group (p<0.05 and insignificant p=0,2, respectively); MVPA7 13-year-old boys and girls were tested 35,5% and 26,8% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 23,8% and 12,2% in the MVPA3 group (insignificant p=0.06 and significant p<0.05, respectively); and the MVPA7 15-year-old boys and girls were tested 36,7% and 24,2% (respectively) positive on this scale versus 24,2% and 19,6% in the MVPA3 group (p<0.05 and insignificant p=0.7, respectively).

Conclusion. The survey data and analyses showed that the schoolchildren’s physical activity is largely dependent on the family climate, support, attention to the children’s problems, constructive discussions and role models provided by the adults – jointly referred as the family contribution to the school physical education and sports motivations. In this context, we recommend giving a special priority to innovative technologies focused on the joint physical education and sports services for schoolchildren and their families.

References

  1. Global recommendations on physical activity for health WHO [Electronic resource] Available at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/44399/3/9789244599976_rus.pdf (Date of access: 25.12.2019).
  2. Certificate on state registration of a computer program No. 2019661076 "Program for analysis of the of schoolchildren online survey results (Phys. Act. School), 2019.
  3. Bakalár P., Kopčáková J., Madarasová Gecková A. Association between potential parental and peers' correlates and physical activity recommendations compliance among 13-16 years old adolescents. Acta Gymnica. 2019. No 49 (1). pp.16-24.
  4. Kleszczewska D., Siedlecka J., Mazur J. Physical activity and features of the environment in which school children grow up as low mood determinants. Pediatria Polska – Polish Journal of Paediatrics. 2019. No 94 (1). pp.25-33.
  5. Kleszczewska D., Szkutnik A.M., Siedlecka J., Mazur J. Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviours and Duration of Sleep as Factors Affecting the Well-Being of Young People against the Background of Environmental Moderators. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2019. No 16 (6).  P.915.
  6. Langøy A., Smith O.R.F., Wold B., Samdal O., Ellen M. Haug Associations between family structure and young people’s physical activity and screen time behaviors./ BMC Public Health.  2019. P.19.

Corresponding author: dpuhov@spbniifk.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyze family contributions to the schoolchildren’s physical education and sports motivations and values.

Methods and structure of the study. The study was designed to complement the international Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) Project [1]. The HBSC Project team of Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Physical Culture has developed a Russian version of the HBSC website with a questionnaire survey form and a cloud database plus a special survey data processing and analyzing software toolkit [2]. The 11, 13 and 15 year old sample was tested for the physical education and sports motivations influencing family climate aspects (communication, moral support, joint physical education practices, joint discussions and solutions etc.). For further analysis, the sample was split up into two physical activity (moderate to vigorous physical activity) groups reportedly trained 3 and 7 days a week – MVPA3 and MVPA7, respectively. Significance of the intergroup survey data differences was rated by the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test.

Results and conclusions. The survey data and analyses showed that the schoolchildren’s physical activity is largely dependent on the family climate, support, attention to the children’s problems, constructive discussions and role models provided by the adults – jointly referred as the family contribution to the school physical education and sports motivations. In this context, we recommend giving a special priority to innovative technologies focused on the joint physical education and sports services for schoolchildren and their families.