Use the Back button in your browser to see the other results of your search or to select another record.

Detailed Search Results

Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior
Mahar MT, Murphy SK, Rowe DA, Golden J, Shields AT, Raedeke TD
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2006 Dec;38(12):2086-2094
clinical trial
3/10 [Eligibility criteria: No; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: No; Baseline comparability: No; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: No; Adequate follow-up: No; Intention-to-treat analysis: No; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effects of a classroom-based physical activity program on children's in-school physical activity levels and on-task behavior during academic instruction. METHODS: Physical activity of 243 students was assessed during school hours. Intervention-group students (n = 135) received a classroom-based program (ie, Energizers). The control group (n = 108) did not receive Energizers. On-task behavior during academic instruction time was observed for 62 third-grade (n = 37) and fourth-grade students (n = 25) before and after Energizers activities. An independent groups t-test compared in-school physical activity levels between intervention and control classes. A multiple-baseline across-classrooms design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Energizers on on-task behavior. Additionally, a two-way (time (pre- versus postobservation) x period (baseline versus intervention)) repeated-measures analysis of variance compared on-task behavior between observation periods. Magnitudes of mean differences were evaluated with Cohen's delta (ES). RESULTS: Students in the intervention group took significantly (p < 0.05) more in-school steps (5,587 +/- 1,633) than control-group students (4,805 +/- 1,543), and the size of this difference was moderate (ES 0.49). The intervention was effective in improving on-task behavior; after the Energizers were systematically implemented, on-task behavior systematically improved. The improvement in on-task behavior of 8% between the pre-Energizers and post-Energizers observations was statistically significant (p < 0.017), and the difference was moderate (ES 0.60). Likewise, the least on-task students improved on-task behavior by 20% after Energizers activities. This improvement was statistically significant (p < 0.001) and meaningful (ES 2.20). CONCLUSION: A classroom-based physical activity program was effective for increasing daily in-school physical activity and improving on-task behavior during academic instruction.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help