Motivational Climate, Anxiety and Physical Self-Concept in Trainee Physical Education Teachers-An Explanatory Model Regarding Physical Activity Practice Time

Explanatory model of motivational climate, self-concept and emotional intelligence in primary school students: Structural equation analysis

Motivational Climate, self-concept and emotional intelligence are important factors for education and learning in children and teenagers, with special relevance in Physical Education (PE).

Purpose

Addressing a gap in the literature, this study sought to develop and compare an explanatory model for analysing the relationships within the perceived teacher-generated motivational climate, self-concept and emotional intelligence in schoolchildren, using structural equation analysis.

Methods

The sample consisted of 347 Spanish primary school students of both genders (46.4 % boys; 53.6 % girls; Meanage = 10.55, SD = 0.97). The Form 5 Self-Concept Questionnaire (AF5), the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24), and the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2) were used for data collection. Structural equation modelling was carried out that was adequately adjusted (χ2 = 190.152; DF = 71; p < .001; CFI = .947; NFI = .938; IFI = .949; RMSEA = .070).

Results

The structural equation model demonstrated a positive association between a task-focused motivational climate and both emotional intelligence and self-concept levels, with a negative relationship between an ego-involving motivational climate and self-concept. No significant association was observed between self-concept and emotional intelligence.

Conclusion

A stronger predisposition toward a task-oriented motivational climate fosters greater development of emotional intelligence and self-concept in primary school students.

Effects of Physical Activity Interventions on Physical Self-Perception in College Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Although the physical activities have demonstrated efficacy in improving physical self-perception, the findings of available studies in college students were conflicting. This review aimed to examine the effects of physical activity interventions on physical self-perception in college students.

METHODS

Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost, Embase, Scopus, CNKI, WanFang, and Chinese Technical Periodicals were searched from inception to April 2024. Studies were included if they were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or non-RCTs (non-RCTs) that examined the effects of physical activity interventions on college students' physical self-perception. Random-effects models were used in meta-analyses to synthesize effect sizes.

RESULTS

Forty studies (17 RCTs and 23 non-RCTs) with 4955 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, physical activity interventions had small to moderate significant effect on physical self-worth (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.44, P < .00001), perceived sports competence (SMD = 0.60, P < .00001), perceived physical condition (SMD = 0.45, P < .00001), perceived physical strength (SMD = 0.53, P < .00001), and perceived body attractiveness (SMD = 0.54, P < .00001). Significant differences were observed in study design (P = .031-.039), intervention type (P = .003-.031), and intervention duration (P = .002-.036) for some aspects of physical self-perception, such as perceived physical strength and perceived body attractiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical activity interventions have beneficial effects on physical self-perception in college students, especially those conducted for 12 weeks, 3 times or more per week, lasting 90 minutes or more per session. Large, high-quality RCTs are required to further confirm these findings.

Analysis of Physical Activity on Mental Hyperactivity, Sleep Quality, and Bodily Pain in Higher Education Students-A Structural Equation Model

The university population is at a vital stage of human development for acquiring an active lifestyle. Following this lifestyle will bring benefits in adulthood. This study seeks to analyse the relationship between physical activity and bodily pain, mental hyperactivity, and sleep quality as a function of the intensity of physical activity. A comparative, descriptive, and exploratory study is presented in a sample of 506 university students. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire, the Mental Hyperactivity Questionnaire, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used. The proposed model analyses the relationships of physical activity to bodily pain, mental hyperactivity, sleep disturbances, and time to fall asleep. The fit of the different adjustment indices is satisfactory (X2 = 0.47, df = 1, pl = 0.48, IFI = 0.99, CFI = 0.97; NFI = 0.91; RMSEA = 0.01). The relational analysis shows a positive relationship of physical activity to bodily pain (r = 0.02; p < 0.01), mental hyperactivity (r = 0.054; p < 0.01), sleep disturbances (r = 0.029; p < 0.01), and time to fall asleep (r = 0.047; p < 0.01). Multi-group structural equation analysis indicates that there are differences in the causal relationships of physical activity to sleep quality, mental hyperactivity, and bodily pain as a function of exercise intensity. The conclusion is that the intensity at which physical activity is performed plays a key role in mental and physical health.

Physical Activity Time, Alcohol Consumption, Mediterranean Diet, and Anxiety in Education Science Students

Student lifestyles change during university. This research aimed to classify university students according to their levels of physical activity, alcohol consumption, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and anxiety and studied the relationships between the variables using a multigroup equation model according to gender. The sample was composed of 549 participants (M = 23.06; S.D. = 6.22), of whom 409 were women and 140 were men. Validated and adapted instruments such as the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the PREDIMED Questionnaire, and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test were used. The data revealed four clusters through Ward's method and the k-means method. Regarding the exploratory model, differences were found in the effects of the variables according to sex. In conclusion, alcohol consumption was positively associated with the Mediterranean diet, and physical activity was negatively associated with the Mediterranean diet and anxiety.

Stress, Resilience, Burnout and Study Hours in Physical Education Pre-Service Teachers-An Explanatory Model about Gender

The process of becoming a public teacher in Spain requires a long period of preparation. This long period of preparation has an impact on the psychosocial environment of the candidates. Differences have been observed in the psychosocial area according to gender in pre-service teachers. This research aims to study the relationship between the study hours per day, stress, burnout syndrome and resilience according to gender and to study the differences in the effects according to gender using multigroup equation modeling. A multigroup structural equation analysis has been proposed according to the gender of the participants. Parametric tests were used for the descriptive analysis of the results. The sample consists of 4117 participants, 1363 males and 2754 females. The instruments used to collect the data were a self-made questionnaire, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory. All the instruments have been validated and adapted to the sample. The data reveal that there are variations in the effects of the variables according to the gender of the participants. In conclusion, it is affirmed that gender is a very important factor in coping with the competitive examination process for state-public-teaching institutions, as well as in avoiding the appearance of disruptive states generated by this preparation process.

Associations of Mediterranean Diet, Psychological Wellbeing and Media Pressure on Physical Complexion and Effect of Weekly Physical Activity Engagement in Higher Education

Nowadays, the media has the power to encourage active and healthy lifestyles; however, it can have a negative impact on body image and psychological wellbeing. The present research aims to analyze Mediterranean diet adherence, media pressure, slim and athletic build ideals and psychological wellbeing as a function of weekly physical activity engagement. A further aim is to examine the effect of Mediterranean diet adherence, media pressure and psychological wellbeing on the perceived pressure to have an athletic and slim build. The present non-experimental study included a sample of 634 university students. Validated instruments adapted by the scientific community were used for data collection. Gathered data reveal that young people who engage in more than 300 min of physical activity per week are more likely to adhere to a Mediterranean diet, have better psychological wellbeing and feel more pressure to obtain an athletic build. In conclusion, weekly physical activity engagement impacts the variables under study.