scholarly journals Psychophysiological Stress Markers and Behavioural Differences between Rural and City Primary School Students

Author(s):  
Daniel Mendoza-Castejón ◽  
Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez

Academic performance could be affected by multiple factors, including stress and learning environment location. The aim of this study was to analyze differences in psychophysiological stress markers, behavior and academic performance of rural and city students. A sample of 181 children (7.91 ± 2.29 years) from elementary schools were evaluated on their grades, subjective academic performance, heart rate variability, state anxiety, nutritional information and physical activity habits. Results presented significant higher values in parasympathetic modulation and physical education grades in rural students than in city students, who showed higher significant values in state anxiety, the ability to complete tasks, physical activity habits and several items relating to their food and drink habits. No significant differences were found in the average grades between the two groups. However, some correlations were found between school performance and stress, physical fitness and nutritional habits. Thus, school location may affect the stress and anxiety status, nutritional habits and physical activities of students, but there were no significant differences in academic performance. In addition, body mass index, quantity of food intake and stress markers may be related to the academic performance attained.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Wawrzyniak ◽  
Ireneusz Cichy ◽  
Ana Rita Matias ◽  
Damian Pawlik ◽  
Agnieszka Kruszwicka ◽  
...  

Despite the general agreement that the interdisciplinary model of physical education (PE), based on the incorporation of core academic subjects into the PE curriculum, stimulates the holistic development of students, there is still a lack of methods for its implementation. Therefore, Eduball was created, i.e., a method that uses educational balls with printed letters, numbers, and other signs. Numerous studies have shown that children participating in activities with Eduballs can develop their physical fitness while simultaneously improving their academic performance, particularly in math and language, including some writing skills. However, little is known about the effects of Eduball on children’s graphomotor skills, which are key for the academic performance of students throughout the entire schooling process. Here, we investigate whether 6-month participation in PE with Eduball stimulates graphomotor skills in primary school students, such as drawing prehandwriting letter patterns on unlined or lined paper and rewriting text on unlined or lined paper. Our results show that the Eduball class (N= 28) significantly improved these skills compared to the control class (N= 26) participating in traditional PE. For example, students from the experimental group wrote with a lower pen pressure and better stability of the line, in contrast to those from the control group. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the Eduball method successfully supports teachers in developing graphomotor skills in children. More broadly, our findings make clear once again that there is the need to integrate physical and cognitive development in education, which can be achieved by using an interdisciplinary model of PE.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 6718
Author(s):  
Daniel Mendoza-Castejón ◽  
Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez

The aim of this study was to analyze the autonomic modulation, physical activity, body mass index, and academic performance of preschool and school students by grade. Extracurricular physical activity, heart rate variability, body mass index, and objective and subjective academic performance were analyzed in 180 preschool and primary school students (7.91 ± 2.29 years). Significant lower heart rate and higher parasympathetic modulation were found in 10–12-year-old primary education students. The 8–9-year-old students obtained the worst results in English and in five of the subjective academic performance items. Students aged 10–12 years old presented the highest body composition values. No significant differences were found on the extracurricular physical activity by age. No correlation between autonomic profile, physical activity, and body composition with objective academic performance was found. Nerveless subjective academic performance perception of teachers presented a negative correlation with body composition and the parasympathetic modulation. School students presented an increased body mass index and parasympathetic modulation by age. Physical activity of all students, independently of the age, were lower than the official recommendations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 565-571
Author(s):  
Ahmad Kousha ◽  
Zeinab Nemati ◽  
Hamid Allahverdipour ◽  
Faezeh Ghalichi ◽  
Hossein Matlabi

Background: Adolescence is considered as one of the most vulnerable periods. The deficiencies and poor nutritional habits and lack of physical activity will have irreparable consequences in adulthood. This study was aimed to determine the behavioural patterns of nutritional and physical activity among the urban and rural students in Urmia, Iran. Methods: The present study was designed and implemented using a sectional and descriptive-analytic approach. Using a stratified random sampling method, 194 males and 191 female high school students were chosen to participate. Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLPII) was used for data collection. The overall average score of physical activity in students was 55.57 ± 4.88, and in the aspect of nutritional behaviour it was equal to 64.04 ± 3.67. Results: No significant difference was observed between physical activity, nutritional behaviours and socio-demographic variables (gender, type of school, place of residence, parental education). Based on multivariate regression analysis, there was a significant relationship between physical activity and the field of education. Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between children’s nutritional behaviour and mothers’ education. Conclusion: Considering importance of mothers’ role in upbringing adolescents and forming their healthy behavioural patterns and the significant relationship of mothers’ education and healthy behaviours, training and increasing health literacy level of this class of population can be an imperative step in promoting the mental and physical health of adolescents.


Author(s):  
Joca Zurc ◽  
Jurij Planinšec

Physical activity has beneficial effects on overall academic performance in children. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding how the individual characteristics of physical activity interact with other confounding variables of academic competence. Leisure-time physical activity with potential confounders—such as developmental, behavioral, family, and school factors, predicting overall, mathematical, and reading academic competence—was studied in a random sample of 1520 Slovenian primary school students in grades 4–6 (51.9% female; mean age = 10.4 years; SD = 0.93). A structured self-reported questionnaire was used to gather data on the children’s leisure-time physical activity and social-demographic variables, while academic competence was measured by teachers using the SSRS Academic Competence Evaluation Scale. The findings showed that children engage in physical activity most days a week, with moderate-intensity and unorganized activities. It was predicted that engaging in physical activity would lead to an increase in academic performance by 4.2% in males (p = 0.002) and 3.2% in females (p = 0.024), but after fully adjusting the model for controlling confounding variables, the prediction increased to 81.1% in females and 84.1% in males (p < 0.001). The frequency and intensity of physical activity, the absence of digital games, and attending sports clubs seem to have the most beneficial effects in terms of academic competence in school children, among other relevant confounders mediating in this complex relationship.


2021 ◽  
pp. 113385
Author(s):  
Ana Isabel Beltrán-Velasco ◽  
Montaña Diaz-Manzano ◽  
Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8775
Author(s):  
Laura Redondo-Flórez ◽  
Domingo Jesus Ramos-Campo ◽  
Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez

The aim of the present study was to analyse body composition, anxiety, cardiovascular, and physical activity factors related with academic performance of school students as well as to analyse differences, by age, in these factors. We analysed in 266 primary school students’ (8.81 ± 1.62 years, range: 5–13 years) heart rate, anthropometric variables to calculate body mass index, physical activity performance, anxiety levels and academic results by the average of marks. Students were divided in two different groups, firstly by their lower or higher academic performance, and secondly by age. Results showed a negative correlation between academic performance and age, weight, body mass index and trait anxiety variables. Additionally, significant differences were found by age, presenting older students higher scores in body mass index and lower physical activity, trait anxiety, heart rate and academic performance values than younger students. Overweight and obesity may have a great impact in academic performance in children and we pointed out the necessity to establish programs related with healthy habits which include improvements in physical activity and nutrition behaviours with the objective to enhance children’s health general status, psychological profile, cognitive and motor development, and academic performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme da Silva Gasparotto ◽  
Aline Bichels ◽  
Thaynara do Prado Szeremeta ◽  
Gislaine Cristina Vagetti ◽  
Valdomiro de Oliveira

The objective of this study was to verify the association of psychological factors and body practices with the academic performance of high school students. A sample of 330 students participated, made up of 167 girls and 163 boys. Likert scale instruments were used for collecting information on self-concept, and on general and academic self-efficacy. Time spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity was recorded, and so was participation in several types of body practices, such as sports, dances, martial arts, performing arts, and systematic physical exercises. Academic achievement was referred to from the students' grades on regular subjects. Linear regression analysis was used for verifying the association of independent variables with academic performance. The adjusted regression model explains between 7% and 36% of academic performance variance, whereas Self-Concept explains academic performance on six of the twelve subjects, and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.13 (p = 0.02) for Sociology and 0.28 (p <0.01) for Mathematics. Academic self-efficacy explained performance on eleven subjects and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.21 (p <0.01) for Physical Education and Philosophy, and 0.44 (p <0.01) for Biology. Participation in extracurricular activities involving body practices explained academic performance on six subjects and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.14 (p = 0.02) for Sociology and 0.31 (p <0.01) for Arts. The studied psychological variables and participation in projects concerning body practices during extracurricular activities correlated with academic achievement as to several school subjects, and with the mean of the grades.


Vestnik ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 155-160
Author(s):  
А.Е. Малибаева ◽  
Б.К. Кайрат ◽  
А.И. Нуфтиева ◽  
Л.Б. Умбетьярова ◽  
М.С. Кулбаева ◽  
...  

В современных стрессовых и негативных внешних экологических условиях растет число неуверенных в себе, эмоционально неустойчивых тревожных детей. В работах А.И.Захаровой, Н.В.Имеладзе, Л.М. Прихожановой говорится, что когда человек постоянно волнуется - возникает паника. Согласно анализу исследований многих авторов, детская тревога, с одной стороны, имеет психодинкамическую природу, с другой-является результатом социализации. По мнению психологов, у учащихся наблюдается высокий уровень тревожности в процессе обучения. В результате изучения данной проблемы установлено, что уровень тревожности и успеваемость ребенка тесно взаимосвязаны. Процесс приобщения детей, пришедших в школу, к процессу обучения тесно связан с процессом паники . In the current stressful and negative external environmental conditions, the number of insecure, emotionally unstable children with anxiety is growing. In the works of A.I. Zakharova, N.V. Imeladze, L.M. Prikhozhan, it is said that when a person is constantly agitated, panic occurs. According to the analysis of the research of many authors, child anxiety, on the one hand, has a psychodynamic nature, and on the other-is the result of socialization. According to psychologists, there is a high level of anxiety in students ' learning process. As a result of the study of this problem, it was found that the level of anxiety and the child's academic performance are closely related. The process of adaptation of children to the learning process is closely related to the panic process. However, the level of anxiety in lower-class students affects the learning process and learning outcomes.


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