Abstract
Existing literature shows promising effects of physical activity on children’s cognitive outcomes. This study assessed via a randomized, controlled design whether additional curricular physical activity during the school day resulted in gains for children’s fluid intelligence and standardized achievement outcomes. Participants were children (N = 460) from four urban schools in the Southeast United States. Schools were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. Treatment schools received additional physical activity breaks throughout the school day while control schools maintained a typical schedule without curricular activity breaks. Results from the one-year study show positive effects for children’s mathematics and reading achievement but no differences across treatment and control groups for children’s fluid intelligence scores. Implications for school psychologists in promoting physical activity breaks on a systems-wide level are discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 135-153 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | School Psychology International |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 1 2015 |
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Keywords
- Achievement
- fluid intelligence
- overweight
- physical activity
- school health
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Education
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
A randomized controlled design investigating the effects of classroom-based physical activity on children’s fluid intelligence and achievement. / Fedewa, Alicia L.; Ahn, Soyeon; Erwin, Heather; Davis, Matthew C.
In: School Psychology International, Vol. 36, No. 2, 01.04.2015, p. 135-153.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A randomized controlled design investigating the effects of classroom-based physical activity on children’s fluid intelligence and achievement
AU - Fedewa, Alicia L.
AU - Ahn, Soyeon
AU - Erwin, Heather
AU - Davis, Matthew C.
PY - 2015/4/1
Y1 - 2015/4/1
N2 - Existing literature shows promising effects of physical activity on children’s cognitive outcomes. This study assessed via a randomized, controlled design whether additional curricular physical activity during the school day resulted in gains for children’s fluid intelligence and standardized achievement outcomes. Participants were children (N = 460) from four urban schools in the Southeast United States. Schools were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. Treatment schools received additional physical activity breaks throughout the school day while control schools maintained a typical schedule without curricular activity breaks. Results from the one-year study show positive effects for children’s mathematics and reading achievement but no differences across treatment and control groups for children’s fluid intelligence scores. Implications for school psychologists in promoting physical activity breaks on a systems-wide level are discussed.
AB - Existing literature shows promising effects of physical activity on children’s cognitive outcomes. This study assessed via a randomized, controlled design whether additional curricular physical activity during the school day resulted in gains for children’s fluid intelligence and standardized achievement outcomes. Participants were children (N = 460) from four urban schools in the Southeast United States. Schools were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. Treatment schools received additional physical activity breaks throughout the school day while control schools maintained a typical schedule without curricular activity breaks. Results from the one-year study show positive effects for children’s mathematics and reading achievement but no differences across treatment and control groups for children’s fluid intelligence scores. Implications for school psychologists in promoting physical activity breaks on a systems-wide level are discussed.
KW - Achievement
KW - fluid intelligence
KW - overweight
KW - physical activity
KW - school health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84926214356&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84926214356&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0143034314565424
DO - 10.1177/0143034314565424
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84926214356
VL - 36
SP - 135
EP - 153
JO - School Psychology International
JF - School Psychology International
SN - 0143-0343
IS - 2
ER -