Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility that exercise participation can be an important factor in the pursuit of sustainable happiness. For this purpose, this study focused on the causal relationships among the frequency of exercise, self-esteem, stress, depression, school satisfaction and degree of happiness in elementary, junior high and high school students (n = 11,132) in South Korea. The data used for this study were collected in 2016 by the National Youth Policy Institute (NYPI) for the “UN convention on the rights of the child.” The results were as follows; firstly, the exercise frequency had a significant causal relationship with self-esteem, stress, school satisfaction and happiness but not with depression. However, it was found that exercise frequency had an indirect effect on depression through stress. In detail, exercise frequency could positively reduce stress, and less stress affects depression. Secondly, there were significant direct or indirect effects on self-esteem, stress, depression, degree of happiness and school satisfaction. Lastly, only depression did not affect school satisfaction and happiness.
Highlights
The ultimate goal of schools is to help students believe in themselves and to provide learners with the ability to lead happy and independent lives [1]
Exercise participation showed a positive correlation with self-esteem (r = 0.231), school satisfaction (r = 0.191) and happiness (r = 0.192), and a negative correlation with stress (r = −0.233) and depression (r = −0.214)
Self-esteem was positively related to school satisfaction (r = 0.379) and happiness (r = 0.492), but negatively related to static correlation stress (r = −0.443) and depression (r = −0.394)
Summary
The ultimate goal of schools is to help students believe in themselves and to provide learners with the ability to lead happy and independent lives [1]. If schools fail to deliver on this, it can raise questions regarding the role of schools in society [2], which could be detrimental to both schools and society as a whole. In this regard, research results are published continuously that question whether Korean students are currently learning what is needed to be learned in school. Standards for evaluating good schools have typically only focused on students’ admission to well known universities [5]. Within this environment, other subjects like physical education, which are not included in the university entrance exam, have long been undervalued
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