Abstract
There is limited, equivocal research regarding the psychosocial effects of incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into physical education (PE) programs. These outcomes are important to assess given that physical activity (PA) enjoyment and intrinsic motivation are predictors of PA participation across the lifespan. PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of a fitness- and skill based HIIT intervention guided by the Self Determination Theory. METHODS: For this pretest-posttest randomized controlled 6-week study, 4-5th grade students (15 boys/30 girls, age = 10.5 ± 0.9 years) completed a HIIT circuit at the beginning of PE (INT); whereas, 22 students (10 boys/12 girls, age = 10.5 ± 0.9 years) engaged in regular PE activities (CON). Cardiorespiratory fitness, as VO2peak, was assessed with the PACER test. Muscular strength was assessed via a handgrip test. Motor competence was assessed with a fundamental movement skill battery. Psychosocial outcomes were assessed with validated surveys and included PA enjoyment, PA intrinsic motivation, and basic needs satisfaction towards PE. Two-way mixed ANCOVA tests were performed to determine potential intervention effects. RESULTS: A time by group interaction (P < 0.001) was evident for cardiorespiratory fitness, as VO2peak increased in INT from 53.6 ± 6.1 to 56.9 ± 7.3 ml/kg/min and decreased in CON from 53.9 ± 7.0 to 52.4 ± 10.4 ml/kg/min. The handgrip test showed a significant time by group interaction (P = 0.02) as muscular strength increased in INT from 35.5 ± 7.3 to 37.2 ± 9.0 kg and decreased in CON from 36.2 ± 12.0 to 33.4 ± 9.0 kg. Motor competence improved from 23.7 ± 2.9 to 24.7 ± 2.1 in INT, with greater improvements observed in CON (23.1 ± 3.7 to 24.7 ± 2.3; P = 0.03 for interaction). Relative to CON, there was a decrease in mean enjoyment scores at post-intervention in INT (33.3 ± 3.3 to 30.4 ± 7.1, P = 0.02 for interaction). Lastly, there were no interaction effects evident for PA intrinsic motivation or basic needs satisfaction in PE (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Similar to previous work, students participating in HIIT experienced greater changes in cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness compared to those engaging in regular PE. Incorporating HIIT did not significantly impact students’ psychosocial experiences and may be a valuable addition to PE. Funding: Midwest ACSM Chapter
Published Version
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