Parfitt, Pavey & Rowlands (2009)

Acta Paediatrica, 2009

Aim: To examine the relevance of physical activity intensity when assessing the relationship between activity and psychological health in 9-10-year-old children. Methods: Activity was assessed by accelerometry in 57 boys (n = 23) and girls (n = 34). Total activity and time spent in very light (≤1.9 METs) through to vigorous activity (≥6 METs) were recorded. Psychological health inventories to assess anxiety, depression and aspects of self-worth were completed.

Acta Paediatrica, 2007

Aim: To explore the relationship between habitual physical activity and psychological well-being in children. Methods: Seventy children (35 boys, 35 girls), age 10.4+0.4 y, wore hip pedometers over a period of 7 d. Well-being was conceptualized as the presence of global self-esteem and the absence of anxiety and depression and assessed with the use of three questionnaires. Results: Correlation analyses revealed that habitual physical activity had a strong association with global self-esteem (r=0.66), depression (r=70.60) and anxiety (r=70.48). However, using partial correlations, the significant relationships were removed for anxiety and depression, but remained for self-esteem (r=0.36). When groups were created based upon activity level, children achieving 412 000 steps/day had more positive psychological profiles than children achieving 59200 steps/day.

Pediatric Exercise Science, 1994

To identify the most consistent relationships among psychological variables and physical activity in youth (ages 11-21 years), 20 articles on depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, self-concept, hostility, anger, intellectual functioning, and psychiatric disorders were reviewed. Physical activity was consistently related to improvements in self-esteem, self-concept, depressive symptoms, and anxiety/stress. The effect sizes were +.12, -.15, and -.38 for self-esteem/self-concept, stress/anxiety, and depression, respectively. The evidence for hostility/anger and academic achievement was inconclusive. No negative effects of physical activity were reported. The literature suggests that physical activity in youth is psychologically beneficial. More research is needed to confirm previous findings. Adolescents should engage in moderate or vigorous aerobic activity approximately three times per week for a total of at least 60 minutes per week.

Social Science & Medicine, 1992

Data are now accumulating that show that some children have apparently low levels of habitual physical activity, as measured by heart rate telemetry. However, relatively little is known about the likely correlates or determinants of such activity patterns. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to explore the extent to which activity levels were related to selected psychological factors. The heart rates of 1 l/12-year old boys and girls (N = 72) were monitored continuously for 12 hr on each of three school days. The same subjects completed psychological inventories assessing physical self-perceptions and motivation. Intrinsic motivation towards physical education and sport was significantly correlated with activity levels for boys. Motivational orientations also predicted activity, but differently for boys and girls. Evidence was found for a discrimination between 'active' and 'less active' girls on the basis of their physical self-perception and motivation scores.

Journal of physical activity & health

To examine the association between volume and intensity of physical activity (PA) and depressive symptoms, anxiety, and body image in a large sample of adolescents in Ottawa and surrounding region. A total of 1259 (n=746 girls and n=513 boys) students responded to surveys on leisure time PA, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and body image. A dose response effect of intensity of PA and psychological distress was observed whereby those who performed greater bouts of vigorous PA exhibited better psychological adjustment than adolescents engaging in mild to moderate intensity activity. Gender impacted the results as vigorous PA was associated with reduced depression but not anxiety in boys, and reduced anxiety but not depression in girls. The positive association between total volume of PA and psychological functioning in the overall sample was no longer significant when gender was considered, except for reduced anxiety in girls. Vigorous PA was associated with reductions in depressive sym...

Acta Paediat, 2007

According to a study by Parfitt and Eston, physical activity was positively associated with child mental health and self-esteem. In this commentary, gender differences, causal links and implications for prevention are discussed. The relationship between physical activity and mental health is not as simple as to say that activity will invariably lead to improved mental health. For youngsters to be engaged in physical exercise, it is important that the needs of the particular child be taken into account. Forced and frightening activities should be avoided. The context should be one of enjoyment rather than of harsh discipline and skill-dependent games where many children are apt to fail.

Acta Paediatrica, 2007

According to a study by Parfitt and Eston, physical activity was positively associated with child mental health and self-esteem. In this commentary, gender differences, causal links and implications for prevention are discussed. Conclusion: The relationship between physical activity and mental health is not as simple as to say that activity will invariably lead to improved mental health. For youngsters to be engaged in physical exercise, it is important that the needs of the particular child be taken into account. Forced and frightening activities should be avoided. The context should be one of enjoyment rather than of harsh discipline and skill-dependent games where many children are apt to fail.

BMC public health, 2016

The majority of studies investigating associations between physical activity and mental health in adolescents have been cross-sectional in design. Potential associations between physical activity and mental health may be better examined longitudinally as physical activity levels tend to decrease in adolescence. Few studies have investigated these associations longitudinally in adolescents and none by measuring physical activity objectively. A total of 158 Dutch adolescents (mean age 13.6 years, 38.6 % boys, grades 7 and 9 at baseline) participated in this longitudinal study. Physical activity, depressive symptoms and self-esteem were measured at baseline and at the 1-year follow-up. Physical activity was objectively measured with an ActivPAL3™ accelerometer during one full week. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and self-esteem was assessed with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). Results were analysed using struc...

2001

Int J Exerc Sci 2(4): [230][231][232][233][234][235][236][237][238][239][240][241][242] 2009. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between selected psychosocial factors and the physical activity behaviors of children (grade 4-8) and adolescents (grades 9-12) in a rural community setting. The Children's Physical Activity Scale (CPAC)was used to measure the psychosocial factors of physical activity, The Physical Activity Questionnaire-Children (PAQ-C), and Physical Activity Questionnaire-Adolescents (PAQ-A) were used to measure the physical activity behaviors of the 167 participants. Results indicated that male and female physical activity behaviors were not significantly different. However, physical activity declined with age [F(8,147) = 5.44, p < 0.05, ES = 0.23]. All psychosocial factors were significantly correlated with physical activity in youth with the single highest correlation for males being "liking of exercise" (r = .61) and the highest correlation for females was "liking of games and sports"(r = .44). Stepwise regression analyses identified three subscales (liking of games and sport, liking of exercise, and parental support) in a significant prediction model of physical activity in both genders. The results indicate that children's physical activity is associated with a variety of psychosocial variables that represent import predisposing and reinforcing factors.

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2005

This article examines the relationship between vigorous physical activity and psychologic distress (by using the General Health Questionnaire-12) among a sample of 2,104 adolescents. Multiple regression analysis revealed a differential relationship between physical activity and dimensions of the General Health Questionnaire-12. Specifically, vigorous physical activity was related significantly to problems with social functioning but not to depression or anxiety.