Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to explore the factors that affect adolescents’ table tennis skills (ATTS) among adolescents in Shanghai from the social ecological perspective, including individual factors, social support, and physical environment. 1,526 students from Shanghai primary and secondary schools were included in this study (age = 12.31 ± 1.32 years). Participants completed a questionnaire based on social ecological theory after taking the ATTS test. A structural equation model was applied to test the relationships among the study variables. The relationship model incorporating individual factors, social support, physical environment, and ATTS test score fit the data well (χ2 = 1415.754, χ2/df = 4.96, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.914; IFI = 0.930; NFI = 0.921; RMSEA = 0.032). The investigation results showed that social support and physical environment promote adolescents’ scores on the ATTS test. At all levels of social ecology, individual factors were the most important factors for the improvement of ATTS. The level impacting most significantly on ATTS was individual factors, followed by social support, and, finally, the physical environment. Therefore, cultivating intrinsic interest is an important way to facilitate the continuous activities of adolescents. In addition, friends should support each other, and parents should give adolescents appropriate encouragement regarding table tennis exercise. Schools should provide more table tennis facilities. PE teachers should respect adolescents’ ideas, listen to students’ opinions, and encourage them to participate in table tennis training.
Highlights
Research has demonstrated that playing table tennis can increase adolescents’ physical fitness, relieve learning pressure, prevent and improve myopia, enhance the body’s sensitivity and coordination, promote learning efficiency and communication with other students, and cultivate adolescents’ psychokinesis (He, 2012; Liu and Li, 2013)
The adolescents’ table tennis skills (ATTS) test score was positively related to motivation, selfefficacy, social support from parents, friends, and physical education (PE) teachers, community environment, and school environment (r’s ranging from 0.490 to 0.862, all p < 0.01) (Table 1)
Motivation, social support from friends, and self-efficacy were highly correlated with the ATTS test score (r = 0.862, r = 0.852, and r = 0.829, respectively)
Summary
Research has demonstrated that playing table tennis can increase adolescents’ physical fitness, relieve learning pressure, prevent and improve myopia, enhance the body’s sensitivity and coordination, promote learning efficiency and communication with other students, and cultivate adolescents’ psychokinesis (He, 2012; Liu and Li, 2013). The number of minors taking part in China’s table tennis is declining year by year, and only 10% of students have been contacted with. The reasons are as follows: adolescents’ heavy study pressure; the increasing influence of other sports, such as badminton, in recent years; and adolescents’ poor table tennis skills (Zhou et al, 2018; Qin, 2019). All of the above-mentioned factors lead to adolescents’ lack of interest in table tennis. Possessing certain sport skills is necessary for cultivating adolescents’ sports interest and adhering to lifelong physical exercise (Wang, 2012)
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