Psychological outcomes of classroom-based physical activity interventions in children 6- to 12-year-olds: A scoping review

Abstract

This scoping review synthesizes the evidence of the psychological outcomes of physical activity interventions in the classroom in children aged 6 to 12 years and describes the characteristics of the physical activity interventions implemented. We systematically searched in databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and SciELO, of randomized control trials published up to July 2020 of classroom-based physical activity interventions with children´s psychological health variables as outcomes. Sixteen trials (14,877 participants) with children aged 6 to 12 years were included. There were significant effects on several indicators of: a) psychological health outcomes: well-being, self-esteem, body image satisfaction b) self-efficacy and motivation to physical activity and c) behavior inside the classroom: self-regulation, bullying and disruptive behavior. The most effective interventions are those that included physical activity integrated into the curriculum 2-5 times a week, in sessions between 4' to 10', implemented mainly by the classroom teacher and with audio-visual support. However, the heterogeneity in program designs did not allow definitive conclusions. While psychological outcomes are mainly primary outcomes in the interventions studied, more evidence is required on other indicators of psychological health such as mental health symptoms. In addition, studies need to employ objective measures of physical activity to a better comprehension of their effects on psychological health of schoolchildren. Keywords: Physical Activity; Children; Psychological health; Schools; Intervention; Scoping review.