Comparison Of Urban Adolescents' Physical Activity And Psychosocial Outcomes During Small-Group And Full-Class Exergaming

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study examined differences in urban middle school students’ physical activity (PA), enjoyment, and self-efficacy during small-group and full-class exergaming sessions. METHODS: Forty-seven urban middle school students (83% African American; 25 females; X̅BMI = 24.3 ± 3.1 kg/m2) completed two separate 15-minute exergaming sessions: (1) Xbox One Kinect Just Dance in small groups (n = 3-4); and (2) Xbox One Kinect Just Dance as a full-class (n = 23-24). Participants’ time in sedentary behavior, light PA (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and steps were retrieved from ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers worn at the right hip, with enjoyment and self-efficacy assessed immediately after each exergaming session via validated Enjoyment and Self-efficacy Surveys. A dependent t-test examined mean differences for all outcomes between the two exergaming sessions with the significance level set at p < 0.05. Lastly, effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d. RESULTS: Significant differences between the two exergaming sessions were observed for time in sedentary behavior and MVPA, steps, and enjoyment (t = 3.9-7.4). In detail, participants spent significantly more time in sedentary behavior during the full-class session compared to the small-group session (5.9 ± 5.2 minutes; 3.5 ± 2.7 minutes, respectively: p < 0.001, d = 0.57) and significantly more time in MVPA during small-group session compared to full-class session (5.5 ± 2.2 minutes; 2.1 ± 2.8 minutes, respectively: p < 0.001, d = 0.85). Moreover, the small-group session resulted in significantly higher steps than the full-class session (504.2 ± 132.1; 387.8 ± 122.1, respectively: p = 0.01, d = 0.50). Lastly, participants reported significantly greater enjoyment during the small-group session compared to the full-class session (3.5 ± 1.1; 3.2 ± 1.0, respectively: p = 0.02, d = 0.37). There were no statistically significant differences between sessions for time in LPA and self-efficacy (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Findings suggested small-group exergaming offered less time in sedentary behavior, but had greater time in MVPA, greater steps, and greater enjoyment compared to full-class exergaming, suggesting small-group exergaming to be ideal for promoting enjoyable exercise at higher intensities and lower sedentary time in urban adolescents.