Katherine B. Owen

Self-determined motivation and physical activity in children and adolescents : A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE Self-determination theory is used as a framework for examining the relation between motivation and physical activity. The purpose of this review was to systematically review studies that assessed the association between self-determined motivation and physical activity levels in children and adolescents. METHOD We searched electronic databases in April 2013. Included studies assessed the relation between motivation (as outlined in self-determination theory) and physical activity in children and adolescents. RESULTS Forty-six studies (n=15,984 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis indicated that overall levels of self-determined motivation had a weak to moderate, positive associations with physical activity (ρ=.21 to .31). Autonomous forms of motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation and identified regulation) had moderate, positive associations with physical activity (ρ=.27 to .38), whereas controlled forms of motivation (i.e., introjection and external regulation) had weak, negative associations with physical activity (ρ=-.03 to -.17). Amotivation had a weak, negative association with physical activity (ρ=-.11 to -.21). CONCLUSIONS Evidence provides some support for self-determination theory tenets. However, there was substantial heterogeneity in most associations and many studies had methodological shortcomings.

Physical Activity and School Engagement in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Physical activity is associated with numerous health benefits in youth; however, these benefits could extend further than health, into education. Our aim was to systematically review and combine in meta-analyses evidence concerning the association between physical activity and the dimensions of school engagement, including behavior (e.g., time-on-task), emotions (e.g., lesson enjoyment), and cognition (e.g., self-regulated learning). We conducted meta-analyses using structural equation modeling on results from 38 studies. Overall, physical activity had a small, positive association with school engagement (d = .28, I2 = .86), 95% confidence interval [.12, .46]. This association was moderated by study design, with significant associations shown in randomized controlled trials but not in studies employing other designs. Risk of bias was also a significant effect moderator, as studies with a low risk of bias showed significant associations but not high risk of bias studies. Altogether, these results suggest that physical activity could improve school engagement.

An internet-supported school physical activity intervention in low socioeconomic status communities: results from the Activity and Motivation in Physical Education (AMPED) cluster randomised controlled trial

Objective Quality physical education (PE) is the cornerstone of comprehensive school physical activity (PA) promotion programmes. We tested the efficacy of a teacher professional learning intervention, delivered partially via the internet, designed to maximise opportunities for students to be active during PE lessons and enhance adolescents’ motivation towards PE and PA. Methods A two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with teachers and Grade 8 students from secondary schools in low socioeconomic areas of Western Sydney, Australia. The Activity and Motivation in Physical Education (AMPED) intervention for secondary school PE teachers included workshops, online learning, implementation tasks and mentoring sessions. The primary outcome was the proportion of PE lesson time that students spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), measured by accelerometers at baseline, postintervention (7–8 months after baseline) and maintenance (14–15 months). Secondary outcomes included observed PE teachers’ behaviour during lessons, students’ leisure-time PA and students’ motivation. Results Students (n=1421) from 14 schools completed baseline assessments and were included in linear mixed model analyses. The intervention had positive effects on students’ MVPA during lessons. At postintervention, the adjusted mean difference in the proportion of lesson time spent in MVPA was 5.58% (p<0.001, approximately 4 min/lesson). During the maintenance phase, this effect was 2.64% (p<0.001, approximately 2 min/lesson). The intervention had positive effects on teachers’ behaviour, but did not impact students’ motivation. Conclusions AMPED produced modest improvements in MVPA and compares favourably with previous interventions delivered exclusively face-to-face. Online teacher training could help facilitate widespread dissemination of professional learning interventions. Trial registration number ACTRN12614000184673.

Regular Physical Activity and Educational Outcomes in Youth: A Longitudinal Study

PURPOSE The objectives of this study were to determine whether longitudinal changes in accelerometer-assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were associated with changes in educational outcomes (i.e., academic performance and mathematics engagement) and to examine whether the association was nonlinear. METHODS Longitudinal data were collected from 2,194 Australian adolescents (mean age = 13.40 years, standard deviation = .73) at two time points (Term 1, 2014, and Term 2, 2015). To measure the total MVPA, the adolescents wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days. The participants responded to a questionnaire to measure mathematics engagement and completed a nationally administered numeracy test to assess academic performance. RESULTS Latent change score models indicated that increases in MVPA had a positive quadratic association with National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) scores in girls (β = .39, p < .001) but not boys. In comparison, cross-sectional regression analyses indicated that MVPA had a positive quadratic association with NAPLAN scores in grade 7 (β = .92, p = .04) boys and in grade 9 boys (β = .60, p = .06), but not in girls. There was also a positive quadratic association between MVPA and school engagement in grade 9 boys (β = .77, p = .03). CONCLUSIONS Cross-sectional evidence indicated that boys who were more physically active had better educational outcomes than their less active peers, and girls who increased their regular physical activity showed improvements in academic performance. All students need to increase their physical activity levels for health and educational benefits, without compromising the time spent on study and homework.