Exercise Influence on Self-Concept, Self-Esteem and Academic Performance in Middle-School Children

Authors

  • Marco Batista SHERU - Sports, Health and Exercise Research Unit – Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Portugal
  • Luis Ramos Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Portugal
  • Jorge Santos SHERU - Sports, Health and Exercise Research Unit – Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Portugal
  • João Serrano SHERU - Sports, Health and Exercise Research Unit – Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Portugal
  • João Petrica SHERU - Sports, Health and Exercise Research Unit – Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Portugal
  • Samuel Honório Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/14.4Sup1/678

Keywords:

exercise, academic performance, self-concept, self-esteem, behaviour conduct

Abstract

Studies have highlighted the benefits of regular practice of exercise and a positive contribution in the development of cognitive function. Psychological benefits of exercise have been noticed in the academic performance increasing, the self-trust, the emotional stability, the memory and positive body image and well-being. This study had as main objective to analyse the impact of physical exercise in academic performance of middle-school students of a Portuguese public school. The number of participants consisted of a total of 107 students. Of these 107 students, 55 (51.4%) were males and 52 (48.6%) were female, aged between 10 and 12 years and mean ages =11.19 ± 0.81. A total of 41 children (38.3%) from the fifth grade and 66 children (61.7%) from the sixth grade were randomly selected. For data collection instrument, the scale of Self-concept of Susan Harter validated for the Portuguese population was used, where it was proceeded to a descriptive and inferential statistics data analysis to confront the mean levels of self-concept, in the fields of competence, social competence, athletic competence, physical appearance, behaviour conduct and global self-esteem. Results suggest that the practice of physical exercise for students increases the levels of self-concept, self-esteem and school performance of the students.

References

Aguiar, J. (2006). Efeitos do exercício físico intenso e da suplementação de N-acetilcisteína e deferoxamina sobre os marcadores de estresse oxidativo e do metabolismo energético em cérebro de camundongo [Effects of intense physical exercise and N-acetylcysteine and deferoxamine supplementation on markers of oxida-tive stress and energy metabolism in the mouse brain [Unpublished Master's Dissertation]. Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense.

Amorim, A. (2006). Papel do exercício físico na prevenção do défice cognitivo e da demência: o que sabemos sobre o tema? [Role of physical exercise in the prevention of cognitive impairment and dementia: what do we know about the topic?] [Unpublished Master's Thesis]. University of Beira Interior.

Barnea-Goraly, N., Menon, V., Eckert, M., Tamm, L., Bammer, R., Karchemskiy, A., Dant, C., & Reiss, A. (2005). White matter development during child-hood and adolescence: a cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging study. Cerebral Córtex, 15(12), 1848-1854. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhi062

Batista, M. (2011). A prática de judo em relação ao autoconceito, a autoestima e ao rendimento escolar dos estudantes do primeiro ciclo [Judo practice in relation to self-concept, self-esteem and school performance of first cycle students] [Un-published Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Extremadura.

Berchtold, N., Chinn, G., Chou, M., Kesslak, J., & Cotman, C. (2005). Exercise primes a molecular memory for brain-derived neurotrophic factor pro-tein induction in the rat hippocampus. Neuroscience, 13, 853-851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.03.026

Berger, B., & Mclnman, A. (1993). Exercise and the quality of life. In R. Singer, M. Murphey, & L. Tennant (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Sport Psychology. Macmillan.

Biddle, J., & Mutrie, N. (2001). Psychology of physical activity. Determinants, well-being and interventions. Routledge.

Bois, J., Sarrazin, P., Brustad, R., Trouilloud, D., & Cury, F. (2005). Elementary schoolchildren’s perceived competence and physical activity involvement. The influence of parent’s role modeling behaviors and perceptions of their child’s competence. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 6(4), 381-397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2004.03.003

Bolognini, M., Plancherel, B., Bettschart, W., & Halfon, O. (1996). Self-Esteem and Mental Health in Early Adolescence: Development and Gender Dif-ferences. Journal of Adolescence, 19, 233-245. https://doi.org/10.1006/jado.1996.0022

Carapeta, C., Ramires, A., & Viana, F. (2001). Autoconceito e participação despor-tiva [Self-concept and sport participation]. Análise Psicológica [Psychological Analysis], 19(1), 51-58. https://repositorio.ispa.pt/bitstream/10400.12/6439/1/2001_1_51.pdf

Cardeal, C. (2007). Efeito da estimulação psicomotora nos processos cognitivos: memoria de trabalho e atenção seletiva [Effect of psychomotor stimulation on cognitive processes: working memory and selective attention [Unpublished mas-ters dissertation]. Catholic University of Brasília.

Cardeal, C., Pereira, L., Silva, P., & França, N. (2013). Efeito de um programa escolar de estimulação motora sobre desempenho da função executiva e atenção em crianças [Effect of a school motor stimulation program on executive function performance and attention in children]. Revista Motri-cidade [Revista Motricidade], 9(3), 44-56. https://doi.org/10.6063/motricidade.9(3).762

Carvalhosa, I. (2012). Associações entre aptidão cardiovascular e a performance académica, diferenças entre padrões alimentares associados a adesão à dieta mediterrânica: um estudo em adolescentes do 7ºano de escolaridade [Associations between cardiovascular fitness and academic performance, differences between dietary patterns associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet: a study in 7th grade adolescents] [Unpublished masters dissertation]. Universidade do Mi-nho.

Casey, B., Giedd, J., & Thomas, K. (2000). Structural and Functional Brain De-velopment and its Relation to Cognitive Development. Biological Psychology, 54, 241-257. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0301-0511(00)00058-2

Chaddock-Heyman, L., Erickson, K., Voss, M., Knecht, A., Pontifex, M., Castelli, D., Hillman, C., & Kramer, A. (2013). The effects of physical activity on functional MRI activation associated with cognitive control in children: a randomized controlled intervention. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00072

Cid, L., Leitão, J., & Alves, J. (2012). Tradução e Validação da Versão Portuguesa da Goal Orientation in Exercise Scale (GOESp) [Translation and Valida-tion of the Portuguese Version of the Goal Orientation in Exercise Scale (GOESp)]. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica [Psychology: Reflection and Criti-cism], 25(3), 532-541. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722012000300013

Ciotto, C., & Fede, M. (2015). A Guide Book to Creating Physically Active School Sys-tems. AuthorHouse.

Coelho, V., Marchante, M., & Sousa, V. (2016). Positive attitude program’s impact upon self-concept across childhood and adolescence. Revista de Psicodidác-tica, 21, 261-280. https://doi.org/10.1387/RevPsicodidact.15129

Costa, A. (2001). Prática desportiva e rendimento académico: um estudo com alunos do secundário[Sports practice and academic performance: a study with high school students] [Unpublished Master's Thesis]. University of Coimbra.

Costa, A. (2003). Influência da Competência Percebida na Competência Objetiva, em alunos brilhantes [Influence of Perceived Competence on Objective Competence in brilliant students] [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Universidade do Porto.

Cruz, J., Machado, P., & Mota, M. (1996). Efeitos e benefícios psicológicos do exercício e da atividade física [Psychological effects and benefits of exer-cise and physical activity]. In J. Cruz (Ed.) Manual de Psicologia do Desporto [Handbook of Sport Psychology]. Human and Organizational Systems.

Diamond, A., & Lee, K. (2011). Interventions shown to Aid Executive Function Development in Children 4–12 Years Old. Science, 333(6045), 959–964. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1204529

Faria, L., & Azevedo, A. (2004). Manifestações Diferenciais do Autoconceito no fim do Ensino Secundário Português [Differential Manifestations of Self-Concept at the End of Portuguese Secondary Education]. Paidéia [Paideia], 14(29), 265-276. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-863X2004000300003

Guay, F., Marsh, H., & Boivin, M. (2003). Academic self-concept and academic achievement: Developmental perspectives on their causal ordering. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(1), 124-136. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.95.1.124

Guimarães, J. (2012). Autoconceito, autoestima e comportamentos desviantes em adolescentes [Self-concept, self-esteem and deviant behaviors in adolescents] [Un-published Master's Thesis]. Higher Institute of Applied Psychology (ISPA).

Guyton, A., & Hall, J. (2000). Textbook of Medical Physiology (10th Edition). Sawunders.

Hamilton, M., Hamilton, D., & Zderic, T. (2007). Role of low energy expenditure and sitting in obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardio-vascular disease. Diabetes, 56(11), 2655–2667. https://doi.org/10.2337/db07-0882

Harter, S. (1985). Manual for the self-Perception profile for children. University of Denver Press.

Harter, S. (1993a). Causes and consequences of low self-esteem in children and adolescents. In Baumeister, R. (Ed.), Plenum series in social/clinical psychology. Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (p. 87-116). Plenum Press.

Harter, S. (1993b). Visions of self: Beyond the me in the mirror. In J. E. Jacobs (Ed.), Developmental perspectives on motivation (p. 99-144). University of Ne-braska Press.

Harter, S. (1996). Causes, correlates, and the functional role of global self-worth: A life-span perspective. In R. Sternberg & J. Kolligan, (Eds.), Perceptions of competence and incompetence across the lifespan. (pp. 67-97). Yale University Press.

Hopkins, W., Marshall, S., Batterham, A., & Hanin, J. (2009). Progressive Statistics for Studies in Sports Medicine and Exercise Science. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41(1), 3-13. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31818cb278

House, J. (2000). The effects of student involvement on the development of aca-demic self-concept. Journal of Social Psychology, 140, 261-263. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224540009600467

JacAngelo, N. (2003). The relation of sports participation to academic performance of high school students [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Florida International University.

Kaufmann, A. (2002). Interscholastic sports participation as a predictor of academic success for high school students [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Wis-consin- Madison.

Lam, L., & Riba, M. (2016). Physical Exercise Interventions for Mental Health. Cam-bridge University Press.

Lipscomb, S. (2007). Secondary school extracurricular involvement and academic achievement: A fixed effects approach. Economics of Education Review, 26, 463-472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2006.02.006

Martins, A. (2012). Autorrepresentação na adolescência: avaliação e processo de construção. [Self-representation in adolescence: evaluation and construction process] [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University Institute of Lisbon.

Martins, M., Peixoto, F., Mata, L., & Monteiro, V. (1995). Escala de autoconceito para crianças e pré-adolescentes de Susan Harter . [Susan Harter's Self-Concept Scale for Children and Preteens]. In L. Almeida, M. Simões & M. Gonçalves (Eds.), Provas psicológicas em Portugal [Psychological tests in Portugal] (p. 79-89). Association of Portuguese Psychologists.

Neves, L., & Faria, M. (2009). Auto-conceito e auto-eficácia: semelhanças, diferenças, inter-relação e influência no rendimento escolar [Self-concept and self-efficacy: similari-ties, differences, interrelationships and influence on school performance]. Revista da Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais [Journal of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences], 6, 206-218. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/61007338.pdf

Owen, N., Healy, G., Matthews, C., & Dunstan, D. (2010). Too much sitting: the population health science of sedentary behavior. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 38(3), 105–113. https://doi.org/10.1097/JES.0b013e3181e373a2

Paulo, R. (2014). Efeitos da Atividade Física na Composição Corporal e nos Parâmetros Fisio-lógicos com Impacto no Estado de Saúde, de Alunos do Ensino Superior [Effects of Physical Activity on Body Composition and Physiological Parameters with Impact on Health Status of Higher Education Students] [Un-published doctoral dissertation]. University of Beira Interior.

Paz, T. (2014). Estilos parentais e o rendimento escolar [Parenting styles and school per-formance] [Unpublished Master's Thesis]. Autonomous University of Lisbon.

Peixoto, F., & Almeida, L. (2010). Self-concept, self-esteem and academic achievement: strategies for maintaining self-esteem in students experienc-ing academic failure. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 25, 157-175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-010-0011-z

Peixoto, F. (2003). Autoestima, autoconceito e dinâmicas relacionais em contexto escolar: estudo das relações entre auto-estima, autoconceito, rendimento académico e dinâmicas relacionais com a família e com os pares em alunos do 7º, 9º e 11º anos de escolaridade [Self-esteem, self-concept and relational dynamics in a school context: study of the relationships between self-esteem, self-concept, academic perfor-mance and relational dynamics with family and peers in 7th, 9th and 11th grade students] [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Universidade do Minho.

Ministry of Science. (2012). Portaria n.º 243/2012 de 5 de julho de 2012 [Ordinance No. 243/2012 of 5 July 2012]. Lisbon, Diário da República, 1st series, 129. Ministry of Science.

Rigoli, D., Piek, J., Kane, R., & Oosterlaan, J. (2012). Motor coordination, work-ing memory, and academic achievement in a normative adolescent sam-ple: testing a mediation model. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 27(7), 766-780. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acs061

Rosa, V. (2016). Impacto da prática de exercício físico em adolescentes: bem-estar, autoestima e rendimento escolar [Impact of physical exercise in adolescents: well-being, self-esteem and school performance [Unpublished Master's Thesis]. University of Évora.

Silva, J., & Cubas, J. (2009). O desenvolvimento do potencial cognitivo de cri-anças e adolescentes nas aulas de Educação Física [The development of the cognitive potential of children and adolescents in Physical Education classes]. Revista Interfaces: Ensino, pesquisa e extensão [Interfaces Magazine: Teaching, research and extension], 1, 39-41. http://uniesp.edu.br/sites/_biblioteca/revistas/20170419175636.pdf

Silva, R., Silva, I., Silva, R., Souza, L., & Tomasi, E. (2010). Atividade física e quali-dade de vida [Physical activity and quality of life]. Ciência e saúde coletiva [Sci-ence and collective health], 15(1), 115-120. https://www.scielo.br/j/csc/a/tz8z48sFy9Nv7vsPQtcfBzj/?lang=pt

Simão, R. (2010). A Relação entre Actividades Extracurriculares e Desempenho Académico, Motivação, Auto-Conceito e Auto-Estima dos Alunos [The Relationship between Extracurricular Activities and Academic Performance, Motivation, Self-Concept and Self-Esteem of Students] [Unpublished undergraduate work]. Higher Institute of Applied Psychology.

Sternberg, R. (2000). Psicologia cognitiva [Cognitive psychology]. Medical Arts.

Teixeira, P., Silva, M., Paulo, V., Palmeira, A., & Sardinha, L. (2006). A atividade física e o exercício no tratamento da obesidade [Physical activity and ex-ercise in the treatment of obesity]. Endocrinologia, Metabolismo & Nutrição [Endocrinology, Metabolism & Nutrition], 15(1), 1-13. https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/portal/resource/pt/lil-455905

Trudeau, F., & Shephard, R. (2008). Physical Education, School Physical Activity, School Sports and Academic Performance. International Journal of Behaviour-al Nutrition and Physical Activity, 5, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-5-10

Vaynman, S. (2005). License to run: exercise impacts functional plasticity in the intact and injured central nervous system by using neurotrophins. Neu-rorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 19(4), 283‐295. https://doi.org/10.1177/1545968305280753

World Health Organization. (2010). Global recommendations on physical activity for health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241599979

Downloads

Published

2022-12-20

How to Cite

Batista, M. ., Ramos, L. ., Santos, J., Serrano, J. ., Petrica, J., & Honório, S. (2022). Exercise Influence on Self-Concept, Self-Esteem and Academic Performance in Middle-School Children. Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensionala, 14(4 Sup.1), 369-398. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/14.4Sup1/678

Publish your work at the Scientific Publishing House LUMEN

It easy with us: publish now your work, novel, research, proceeding at Lumen Scientific Publishing House

Send your manuscript right now