Changes in Alienation in Physical Education Classes, School Happiness, and Expectations of a Future Healthy Life after the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korean Adolescents.

Seung-Man Lee,Hyun-Su Youn,Jung-In Yoo

doi:10.3390/ijerph182010981

Seung-Man Lee, Hyun-Su Youn + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010981

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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the changes in the structural relationship between alienation in physical education (PE) classes, school happiness, and future healthy life expectations in Korean adolescents after the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were collected from Korean adolescents using different scales. The collected data were analyzed using frequency analysis, reliability analysis, validity analysis, independent t test, and path analysis. The key results were: First, there were partial changes in each of the parameters since the outbreak of COVID-19. Second, before the pandemic, alienation in PE classes negatively affected school happiness, and school happiness positively affected expectations of a future healthy life; however, alienation in PE classes did not affect the expectations of a future healthy life, showing a complete mediating effect. Third, during the pandemic, alienation in PE classes negatively affected school happiness, and school happiness positively affected the expectations of a future healthy life; alienation in PE classes negatively affected the expectations of a future healthy life, showing a partial mediating effect. These findings emphasize the importance and potential of school education, especially PE, in promoting happiness and healthy lives in adolescents. We expect these findings to have practical implications for future research by presenting theoretical and empirical data.

Highlights

In response to the first confirmed case of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inSouth Korea in January 2020, the government implemented various measures to combat the outbreak
There were no changes in peer relationships, self-efficacy, and pleasure in learning activities between the two periods
The key findings of this study are summarized as follows: First, there were partial changes in the alienation in physical education (PE) classes, school happiness, and future healthy life expectations among Korean adolescents since the outbreak of COVID-19 compared to the time before

Summary

Introduction

In response to the first confirmed case of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inSouth Korea in January 2020, the government implemented various measures to combat the outbreak. In addition to direct medical responses, the government proposed indirect response measures that involved the public, such as wearing a face mask and practicing social distancing (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2020 [1]). There have been claims that despite the benefits of the nationwide use of face masks and social distancing practices to prevent the spread of the infection, they prompt depression, anxiety, loneliness, and reduce physical activities. Recent studies report that the increasingly prevalent socially isolated lifestyle resulting from the pandemic is adversely impacting people’s health. Some prime examples of adverse health impacts are weight gain, poor posture, irregular sleep, stress and anxiety, and vitamin D deficiency [5,6,7]

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