Factors related to voluntary participation and non-participation in physical education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate some factors related to participation and non-participation in grade nine physical education. The hypotheses proposed were: (1) Participants in physical education would have a higher self esteem than the non-participants, (2) participants in physical education would have a higher perceived physical ability than non-participants, (3) participants in physical education would perceive their bodies in a more positive way than non-participants. The subjects were forty-eight male and female students from two senior elementary school in the Carleton Roman Catholic School Board. The subjects' perceptions of general self and physical self, as well as reasons for participation and non-participation were assessed through the means of a questionnaire. Interviews were also conducted with selected non-participants. The physical education teachers of the subjects also listed their perception of reasons for student participation or non-participation in physical education. The self perception data were statistically analysed by the use of the Kruskal-Wallis Test. Perceived reasons for participation and non-participation were