Creator

Taylor Polson

Advisor

Stellion, Megan Babkes

Department

School of Sport and Exercise Science

Institution

University of Northern Colorado

Type of Resources

Article

Place of Publication

Greeley (Colo.)

Publisher

University of Northern Colorado

Date Created

5-2018

Extent

25 pages

Digital Origin

Born digital

Abstract

It is well known that physical activity (PA) has many physiological and psychological benefits to the human body (Donaghy, 2007; Taliaferro, Rienzo, Pigg, Miller, & Dodd, 2009; VanKim & Nelson, 2013; Gerber, Brand, Elliot, Holsboer-Trachsler, & Puhse, 2014). Research on the psychological effects of exercise has shown that PA can decrease depression and feelings of hopelessness (Taliaferro, Rienzo, Pigg, Miller, & Dodd, 2009). Specifically, the effects of PA in classrooms on the psychological health and academic performance of students has become an area of focus, both in and out of the United States. Physical activity has been implemented into the classroom in the form of physical activity breaks (P.A.B.s), in which students participate in short bouts of exercise during class. Research on P.A.B.s has shown many benefits, including decreasing off-task behavior, improving test scores, and increasing the amount of PA outside of classrooms (Bray & Born, 2004; Ma, Mare, & Gurd, 2014; Bailey & DiPerna, 2015; Bunkertorp et al, 2015; Ma, Mare, & Gurd, 2015). However, most of the research has been focused on elementary and middle school students. This project analyzed the questionnaire responses from a study that implemented P.A.B.’s into the undergraduate university/college class, which was a context of P.A.B.s implementation that had yet to be explored. Survey responses of reasons, or motives, students gave regarding participation, or not, in the P.A.B.s were thematically content analyzed. Enjoyment, needing a break, and contributing to the study were the top reasons students chose to participate. Not feeling well, being unprepared, or just not wanting to were the main themes found for why students chose not to participate in the P.A.B.s.

Degree type

BA

Degree Name

Bachelor

Local Identifiers

Polson_HonorsThesis2018

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

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