Welcome to the Research of 2025! Given the breadth of the research over the years, research articles have been categorized by year of publication, separated in two sections: (1) Classroom-specific Research and (2) Other Relevant Research, and then organized alphabetically by author’s last name. Page continually updated…
SECTION 1: Classroom-specific Research
Physical activity level of Chilean preschool children during each segment of the school day: comparison by the presence of physical education class and school schedule
ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluate Chilean preschoolers’ PAL during each segment and the whole school day, according to sex, presence of PE, and duration of school schedule. This is an observational, cross-sectional study including 630 preschoolers, 50% girls (5.2 years ± 0.3), who wore accelerometers during the school day. We compared days with and without PE, the time in sedentary behavior (SB), moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and PAL during each segment and whole school day, according to sex and school schedule (half or full day) as well as MVPA between more and less active children. Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests for dependent samples were used. On days with no PE, 60% of the time, preschoolers engaged in SB, mainly during curricular classes (60.8% and 53.8% in half and full days, respectively), and 8% in MVPA, mainly during recess (56.9% and 49.5% during half and full days, respectively). On days with PE, boys and girls engaged in significantly higher MVPA (9.3% no PE and 13.4% with PE; girls: 7.4% no PE and 10.2% with PE). Boys spent significantly more time in MVPA than girls (9.4% boys and 7.3% girls). Active preschoolers engaged in more MVPA not only during the whole school day but also during each segment. To increase [physical activity level] in preschoolers, especially girls, at least two aspects should be considered: providing more active curricular classes and increasing activity on days without PE.
CITATION: Rivera, N. L., Berkovic, J. K., Dinamarca, B. L., & Soto-Sánchez, J. (2025). Physical activity level of Chilean preschool children during each segment of the school day: Comparison by the presence of physical education class and school schedule. Revista Brasileira de Cineantropometria & Desempenho Humano, 27, e96864. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-0037.2025v27e96864
SECTION 2: Other Relevant Research
A meta-analysis of physical activity interventions targeting executive functions in children: focus on cognitive and/or metabolic demands?
ABSTRACT: This meta-analysis of evidence from acute and chronic research aims to evaluate the extent to which differences in the cognitive demands of physical activity interventions, per se or jointly with their metabolic demands, may explain differences in the observed effects on children’s core executive functions. In total, 41 studies involving 7316 participants were meta-analysed to evaluate the effects of cognitively engaging physical activity with respect to different comparator types (non-physically active control, aerobic exercise, or physical education), also considering differences in effect size computation (i.e., pre-post and post-test only). Larger effects, though within the small-size range, emerged in favour of cognitively challenging physical activity from the analysis of pre-post change scores. This favourable effect emerged for acute physical activity, compared to resting, on working memory accuracy only; instead for chronic physical activity, it emerged across core executive function outcomes. Thus, there are small effects that have a different level of domain generality/specificity in chronic and acute physical activity studies. These results call for more research that uses appropriate comparator groups and analyses pre-post change scores along with group differences at post-test to unequivocally state the causal role of cognitive challenge in physical activity to affect children’s executive functions. The results also allow to advocate, even though cautiously because of the small effect sizes, implementing aerobic activities with high levels of cognitive engagement in physical education classes for their chronic effects and cognitively challenging active breaks along the school day for their acute effects.
CITATION: Cabral, M., Pournara, I., Pontifex, M. B., Venetsanou, F., Pesce, C., & Vazou, S. (2025). A meta-analysis of physical activity interventions targeting executive functions in children: Focus on cognitive and/or metabolic demands? International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 0(0), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2025.2510251
International Parent Perceptions of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Academic Achievement for Their Children: An Exploratory Study
ABSTRACT: This exploratory study examined international school parental perceptions regarding the relationship between physical activity and academic performance. This descriptive research was carried out at an international school in South Korea and included 69 parents of adolescent children at the school. Statistical analyses examined if there were differences between the two largest ethnic groups (Koreans, Americans) using independent samples t-tests. Parents of students who were reported as more and less active were also analyzed using two samples t- tests. The importance of physical activity in comparison with other factors was evaluated using a paired t-test to determine if there was a difference between means of the pairs. Results demonstrated that parents of more active children indicated a stronger link between physical activity and healthy development and academic success, as opposed to the parents of less active children. Parents rated physical activity as more important than extra academic support but not as important as other factors such as independent studying, and adequate sleep and nutrition. This study found more agreement regarding parental perceptions of the importance of physical activity than expected. These findings imply that small differences in physical activity values among nationalities may exist even in an international context. Parents’ implementation of physical activity in their child’s life may be partially a result of their knowledge regarding the benefits related to physical activity. Future research examining the outcomes to help shape parent education surrounding the benefits of physical activity and academic performance is warranted.
CITATION: Hansen, K., Erwin, H. E., & Beighle, A. (2025). International Parent Perceptions of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Academic Achievement for Their Children: An Exploratory Study. International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/24711616.2025.2501528
Promoting resilience in adolescents: the role of school physical activity
ABSTRACT: Resilience is a key factor that enables adolescents to cope with stress and adapt to life’s challenges, and physical activity within the school environment is regarded as a means of fostering its development. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of a physical activity program on the development of resilience in adolescents within a school setting. The study involved 200 adolescents from Chengdu, aged 12 to 17, who were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group participated in a specially designed 12-week physical activity program, while the control group engaged in games unrelated to physical activity. To measure the level of resilience, the Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25) was used and administered to participants at the pre-test and post-test stages. The results of the analysis indicated that the resilience level in the experimental group significantly increased after completing the program (p < 0.001, d = 2.17), while no changes were observed in the control group (p = 0.533, d = 0.09). These findings confirm that the physical activity program has a statistically significant positive impact on the development of resilience in adolescents. The study highlights the importance of using structured physical activity programs to enhance the psychological resilience of adolescents. It is expected that implementing such programs in school physical education can contribute to improving adolescents’ physical well-being and their ability to cope with life’s challenges.
CITATION: Zou, W., & Liu, W. (2025). Promoting resilience in adolescents: The role of school physical activity. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-07895-9
