Fitness, attitude toward physical education, and self-concept of elementary school children

Elementary school children scoring in the highest and lowest 26% or 27% of their classes on the Texas Physical Fitness test were compared for attitude toward physical education and self-concept. Data were collected on the Children's Attitude Inventory Toward Physical Education, a Game of Pairs for Preferences Among School Subjects, and the Children's Self-concept Scale. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences on all tests between boys high in fitness, girls high in fitness, boys low in fitness, and girls low in fitness. Subsequent Scheffé tests indicated that highly fit girls had significantly higher attitude and self-concept scores than boys low in fitness. Highly fit boys had higher self-concepts than boys low in fitness. No other group comparisons were significant. Pearson correlations indicated nonsignificant associations between fitness and attitude and self-concept for the four groups.     

Physical Activity and Physical Self-Concept among Sedentary Adolescent Females; An Intervention Study

PROBLEM: Physical activity has been promoted as a means of enhancing self-concept, yet the evidence for this connection is far from compelling. In particular, experimental research investigating this association during adolescence, a period during which many youth struggle to maintain a positive self-image, is noticeably lacking. This study investigates the impact on self-concept of a 9-month physical activity intervention among sedentary adolescent females. METHOD: Female adolescents who were sedentary at baseline were assigned either to an exercise intervention or a comparison group as part of the controlled trial. The intervention was school-based, and assignment to groups was based on school attended. Intervention participants engaged in supervised activity 4 times per week and received didactic instruction promoting activity outside of school 1 day per week. Self-concept, physical activity participation, and cardiovascular fitness were assessed before, mid-way through, and after the 9-month intervention. RESULTS: The intervention had a significant positive impact on participation in vigorous activity and cardiovascular fitness. The intervention did not significantly influence any of the self-concept dimensions overall. There was, however, a three-way interaction such that there was an increase in global physical self-concept among those intervention participants who increased cardiovascular fitness. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that a physical activity intervention among sedentary adolescent females enhanced global physical self-concept for a subset of intervention participants who manifested positive changes in fitness.     

Association between self-concept and body weight, gender, and pubertal development among male and female adolescents

This study examined the effects and interactions of gender, pubertal status, and body weight on the self-concept of 462 young adolescent Australian students from two different schools. All students enrolled in Years 7 and 8 completed the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, which includes several self-concept subscales and ratings of the importance of each subscale. The self-concept subscales ranked as most important by male and female students were Close Friendship, Scholastic Competence, and Job Competence. Females rated their ability to form close friendships significantly higher and of greater importance than did males. Standard body weight was related to students' Physical Appearance subscale scores, with higher weight students having lower self-concept, and postmenarcheal females having the poorest opinion of their physical appearance. Higher body weight males had lower scores on Athletic Competence, Job Competence, and Behavioral Conduct than did other males. Overweight females and normal weight males considered athletic competence to be more important than did other students. Pubertal status was related to students' scores on Athletic Competence, with postpubertal males who were not overweight scoring highest, and on Physical Appearance, with postmenarcheal females having the lowest opinion of their appearance. The mean self-concept score was significantly related to students' standard body weight, and there was an interaction between gender and puberty, with postpubertal males having the highest and postmenarcheal females the lowest self-concept score. The discrepancy score suggested that females felt they had failed to meet their ideal self-concept significantly more than did males. The results suggest that school programs should be implemented to provide exercise and job skill training suitable for all students, especially those who are overweight. These programs, while taking into account students' pubertal status, should aim to improve self-image without resulting in feelings of failure.     

Physical self-concept and self-esteem mediate cross-sectional relations of physical activity and sport participation with depression symptoms among adolescent girls.

The authors tested whether physical self-concept and self-esteem would mediate cross-sectional relations of physical activity and sport participation with depression symptoms among 1,250 girls in 12th grade. There was a strong positive relation between global physical self-concept and self-esteem and a moderate inverse relation between self-esteem and depression symptoms. Physical activity and sport participation each had an indirect, positive relation with global physical self-concept that was independent of objective measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and body fatness. These correlational findings provide initial evidence suggesting that physical activity and sport participation might reduce depression risk among adolescent girls by unique, positive influences on physical self-concept that operate independently of fitness, body mass index, and perceptions of sports competence, body fat, and appearance.     

Physical activity, motor development and self-concept: race and age differences

To investigate the effect of organized physical activity on the development of specific motor skills (body coordination and self-concept) of elementary age children, 344 children from the ethnic origins, black and white, were administered the Schilling Body Coordination Test and the Martinek-Zaichkowsky Self-concept Scale for Children. Motor development (body coordination) and self-concept scores were significantly higher for the group who participated in the physical activity program than for controls who did not. There was a linear trend in motor skill improvement, with Grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 showing significantly higher gains than Grade 1. The self-concept scores indicated a significant decline for Grades 3, 4, and 5. There were no significant differences between blacks and whites. A two-way interaction was found between grade and race in motor development, with blacks demonstrating lower mean scores than whites in Grade 2 but higher mean scores in Grade 5. Correlations between self-concept and motor development were non-significant.     

Validation of a revised version of the Physical Self-Inventory – Very Short form for youth with intellectual disabilities (PSI-VS-ID-R): A Bayesian structural equation modeling approach

The objective of the current study was to investigate the psychometric properties of scores obtained on a revised version of the Physical Self-Inventory – Very Short form for youth with intellectual disabilities (PSI-VS-ID-R). A sample of 351 youth (M = 15.81 years) with mild to moderate levels of Intellectual Disabilities (ID) from Australia (N = 230) and Canada (N = 121) participated in this study. They respectively completed the English and French versions of the PSI-VS-ID-R, as well as additional measures of self-concept and physical fitness. Bayes structural equation modeling (BSEM) analyses provided support for the validity and reliability of the a priori nine-factor structure of scores obtained on the PSI-VS-ID-R. Moreover, additional BSEM analyses provided support for the comparability of responses obtained on the PSI-VS-ID-R (i.e., lack of differential item functioning or measurement equivalence) irrespective of linguistic versions and of participants’ age, body-mass index, ID level, sex and frequency of sport involvement. Additionally, latent mean level differences in PSI-VS-ID-R’s factors scores were also found across linguistic versions and as a function of youth’s ID level and frequency of sport involvement. Finally, the convergent validity of scores on the PSI-VS-ID-R factors was supported in relation to measures of self-concept and physical fitness.     

The effects of dance team participation on female adolescent physical fitness and self-concept

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent female physical fitness and self-concept are affected by dance team participation in high school. Eight dancers were tested once prior to and once four months after dance team participation. Eight participants from physical education classes, matched for age, weight, height, grade, and race, were tested once at the same time as the second dance team test. Physiological tests were maximum oxygen uptake, sit-and-reach, one-repetition maximum bench press, skinfolds, and hydrostatic weighing. The self-concept tests were Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, and Body Cathexis Scale. Dependent one-tailed t tests were run to determine differences between dance team pre- and posttests and control and dance team posttests. Dance subjects increased maximum oxygen uptake and one-repetition maximum bench press in addition to improving their body composition as evidenced by a significant decrease in total skinfolds and a near significant decrease in percent body fat. The dance team had a significantly higher maximum oxygen uptake than did controls. No other significant differences were seen between groups. Dance team participants significantly improved physical self and social self on the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. No other significant differences were seen. A factor that may have affected the self-concept results in this study was low dance team status, due to a combination of unsuccessful previous dance teams and a losing football season. Within the limitations of this study, these results indicate that physical fitness is improved as a result of dance team participation; however, self-concept seems to be affected only minimally, if at all, as compared with participation in physical education classes.     

Examination of a multi-factorial model of body-related experiences during pregnancy: the relationships among physical symptoms, sleep quality, depression, self-esteem, and negative body attitudes

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate relationships among women's body attitudes, physical symptoms, self-esteem, depression, and sleep quality during pregnancy. Pregnant women (N = 215) at 15–25 weeks gestation completed a questionnaire including four body image subscales assessing self-reported feeling fat, attractiveness, strength/fitness, and salience of weight and shape. Women reported on 29 pregnancy-related physical complaints, and completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. In regressions, controlling for retrospective reports of body image, more frequent and intense physical symptoms were related to viewing the self as less strong/fit, and to poorer sleep quality and more depressive symptoms. In a multi-factorial model extending previous research, paths were found from sleep quality to depressive symptoms to self-esteem; self-esteem was found to be a mediator associated with lower scores on feeling fat and salience of weight and shape, and on higher perceived attractiveness.     

Biopsychosocial and Physical Correlates of Middle School Boys’ and Girls’ Body Satisfaction

Boys (n?=?629) and girls (n?=?659) in grades 6 through 8 in the U.S. completed self-report measures of pubertal development, weight pressures, internalization, social appearance comparison, self-esteem, depression, and physical self-concept, and objective measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and BMI. Regression analyses revealed that gender moderated the strength of the relationships between the variables and body satisfaction (girls—Adj. R ²?=?.49; boys—Adj. R ²?=?.20), though BMI, pressures, physical self-concept, and self-esteem were related significantly for each gender. Girls were most affected by pressures related to weight loss, whereas gaining weight and musculature was most salient for boys. Future research needs to examine longitudinally how these variables contribute to the development of body satisfaction.     

Moderators of the internalization–body dissatisfaction relationship in middle school girls

The purpose of the present study was to replicate and extend previous research by examining the moderating effects of self-esteem, physical self-concept, physical appearance comparisons, BMI, pubertal status, and cardiorespiratory fitness, on the internalization–body dissatisfaction relationship in middle school girls. Hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) was used to examine direct and moderating effects of these variables. Internalization was related directly and significantly to body dissatisfaction, as were the proposed moderators (i.e., self-esteem, physical self-concept, physical appearance comparisons, BMI, pubertal status, and cardiorespiratory fitness); however, these variables failed to significantly influence the internalization–body dissatisfaction relationship. Possible explanations for the lack of moderating effects and directions for future research are discussed.     

Multidimensional self-concepts,masculinity, and femininity as a function of women's involvement in athletics

Measures of multidimensional self-concepts, masculinity (M), and femininity (F) were completed by high-school women athletes and nonathletes, and by young-adult women athletes and nonathletes. Women athletes in both age groups had substantially higher scores in M and in self-concept of physical ability, but did not differ substantially from nonathletes in F and in other areas of self-concept. Women athletes in both groups also judged their self-concept of physical ability to be more important to them than did nonathletes, but the two groups did not differ in the perceived importance of other areas of self-concept. These findings support the androgyny contention that MF should not be considered a bipolar construct and suggest that women can be more M without being less F. The specificity of the relation between athletic involvement and the multiple dimensions of self-concept also provide further support for the construct validity of the self-concept dimensions.The authors would like to acknowledge Lindsay McCaughan for his assistance in the design of the study, the staff and students at Pymble Ladies College, and the group of female powerlifters.     

Physical fitness of South African primary school children, 6 to 13 years of age: discovery vitality health of the nation study

Basic physical fitness was measured using 8 different measures for 10,295 South African children and youths (5,611 boys, 4,684 girls) ages 6 to 13 years. These measurements included height, weight, Body Mass Index, standing long jump, shuttle run, sit-and-reach, sit-up (EUROFIT testing battery), and cricket ball throw scores. Due to the effects of earlier apartheid laws on separating communities, it was hypothesized that scores for different ethnic groups may differ. Therefore, in addition to the calculation of basic norms and sex differences, ethnic differences were also tested. Height and weight, relative to age, were different between the various ethnic groups (Black, White, and Mixed ancestry) for boys, with Black boys being shorter and lighter than White boys. There were no differences in sit-and-reach flexibility scores between the groups. With the exception of the cricket ball throw for girls, White children had higher scores in most tests. Although not significantly different from the White children, in the majority of cases, the children of mixed ancestral origin had scores that ranged between the other two ethnic groups. These results suggest a need for encouraging fitness in school children, and the reintroduction of formal physical education into the South African school curriculum, especially into schools in which Black children predominate.     

Self-concept Changes During Orthodontic Treatment1

This longitudinal study examined self-concept changes as a function of orthodontic treatment. Three cohorts of adolescents undergoing orthodontia in consecutive years were given the Piers-Hams Self-concept Scale (Piers, 1969) at various times before, during, and after the treatment process. There were no changes in physical appearance subscale scores. Total self-concept scores did increase from before to after treatment, but only for those subjects who were tested within 6 months after the removal of their braces. When posttest measures were taken more than 6 months after treatment, no self-concept improvement was evident. Thus, orthodontic treatment produced no lasting effects on self-esteem.     

Obesity, cardiovascular fitness, and physically active adolescents’ motivations for activity: A self-determination theory approach

Objectives

Overweight and obesity pose significant health problems for adolescents. Rates of overweight and obesity in children have increased 45% in the last decade and have increased three-fold since 1980. Because children who are physically active are at lower risk for the development of obesity, it is important to understand some of the factors that influence children’s physical activity patterns. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between motivation, cardiorespiratory fitness, and weight status, defined as obese or non-obese. We predicted that the association between motivation and weight status would become non-significant when controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness.

Design

The study employed a correlational, cross-sectional design.

Method

Participants included physically active middle school students (N = 82. 51% female) of aged 12–14 years, who participated in the Teen Eating and Activity Mentoring in Schools (TEAMS) study aimed at improving health and preventing obesity among middle school students. Students completed attitudinal questionnaires about physical activity and self-determination on a computer-based system and participated in a number of fitness performance, health behavior, and anthropometric assessments.

Results

Non-obese adolescents showed higher intrinsic motivation scores than obese adolescents. Mediational analyses showed that cardiorespiratory fitness mediated the relationship between motivation and weight status.

Conclusions

The results of this study demonstrate differences in physical activity motivation as a function of adolescent weight status, but only for intrinsic motivation. As predicted, adolescents who were intrinsically motivated for physical activity were more fit and thereby less likely to be obese. The findings are consistent with self-determination theory.     

Physical self-concept, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem in children with cancer and healthy children without cancer history

The main purpose of this study is to test if children with cancer receiving chemotherapy show a poorer physical self-concept, less self-esteem and more anxiety and depression than healthy children (with no cancer history) within the same age range (9-16 years old) and social condition. Furthermore, the capacity of self-concept and self-esteem to predict emotional distress is analyzed. The Spanish versions of PSDQ, CDI and STAIC were administered to 30 children with cancer and 90 healthy children. Except for the health and flexibility dimensions in the PSDQ, no significant differences between groups were found. Self-esteem was the best predictor of depression, whereas health and self-concept predicted anxiety.     

Psychological and Physical Characteristics of U.S. Marine Recruits

This study examined psychological and physical health factors in a cohort of U.S. Marine recruits with the goal of developing a comprehensive understanding of attributes recruits bring to training. 1,350 male recruits completed a multimeasure survey during the first week of training. A 2-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to explore the relationship of hardiness dimensions on several psychological and physical factors. Compared with other military samples, this cohort reported similar levels on hardiness control and rigidity subscales. Recruits who reported higher scores on a measure of positive hardiness also reported higher scores on measures of grit, grit ambition, sensation seeking, training expectations, positive ways of coping, physical and mental health, fitness scores, and lower scores on a measure of depression. This study provides a more complete understanding of the complex array of attributes of Marine recruits and forms a foundation for predictive models of injury risk and/or attrition.     

Contributions to Global Self-Esteem: The Role of Importance Attached to Self-Concepts Associated with the Five-Factor Model

Previous research has attempted to clarify the relations that one's self-concepts have with one's global self-esteem. One hypothesis that has received the most attention to date is the view that characteristic attributes that an individual regards as especially important for his or her self-concepts exert the greatest influence on self-esteem. In an investigation of this hypothesis, 375 college undergraduates completed measures of global self-esteem as well as rating scales that assessed self-concepts and the importance attached to these self-concepts in the maintenance of self-esteem. The self-concept and importance domains examined corresponded to the five-factor model (FFM) personality dimensions. Consistent with previous research, importance ratings attached to self-concepts were not found to moderate the relation between self-concepts and self-esteem. Rather, ratings on self-concepts alone accounted for a substantial proportion of variance (53.3%) in self-esteem scores. Bivariate correlations based on FFM dimension scores and self-esteem scores revealed consistent positive associations. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that among the FFM dimensions, self-concept ratings for emotional stability (vs neuroticism), extraversion, and agreeableness significantly predicted self-esteem.     

Parenting stress, perceived parenting behaviors, and adolescent self-concept in European American families

This study assesses whether the stresses associated with parenting a child are indirectly related to adolescent self-concept through parenting behaviors. We examined longitudinal associations among mothers' and fathers' parenting stress at age 10, children's perceptions of parenting at age 10, and adolescents' self-concept at age 14 in 120 European American families. Mothers' and fathers' parenting stress was related to children's perceptions of acceptance and psychologically controlling behavior, and psychologically controlling behavior (and lax control for fathers) was related to adolescent self-concept. We further examined which domains of parenting stress and perceived parenting behaviors were associated with adolescents' scholastic competence, social acceptance, physical appearance, and behavioral conduct. Parenting stress was related to specific parenting behaviors, which were, in turn, related to specific domains of self-concept in adolescence. Parenting stress appears to exert its effects on early adolescent self-concept indirectly through perceived parenting behavior.     

Moderating effects of physical self-appraisal on relations of weight with energy changes for obese women initiating a supported exercise and nutrition information program

Significant linear bivariate correlations were found between changes in ratings of Vigor and Fatigue, and weight change over 24 weeks (rs = -.34 and .46, respectively) for 48 obese women who had initiated a supported physical activity and nutrition information program. However, after controlling for changes in Body Areas Satisfaction scale scores, the correlations decreased and were not significant. After controlling for changes in Physical Self-concept scale scores, correlations for changes in weight and Vigor scores were not significant. When changes in Body Areas Satisfaction and Physical Self-concept were simultaneously entered into separate multiple regression equations along with changes in the mood factors, significant portions of the variance in weight change (R(2)s= .36 and .29, respectively) were accounted for. Results suggested that perceptions of improvement in one's body, physical self-concept, and energy may be important predictors of weight loss in obese women and have implications for both health behavior theory and weight management treatments.