The effects of after-school supervision on physical fitness levels in children

• Main Author: Koeller, Katherine Ann
• Other Authors: Ball State University. Institute for Wellness.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Physical fitness for children.; School-age child care.; Children and adults.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/184314; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/834624

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of adult after-school supervision and the number of parents living at home on health-related fitness levels. Participants for the study were approximately 250 boys and girls in grades three, four and five from Selma Elementary School. The AAHPERD Physical Best Test (1988) was used to assess health-related fitness. This test measured the following components: a) flexibility (sit-and-reach test), b) cardiovascular endurance (timed run/walk test), c) body composition (sum of triceps and calf skinfolds) and d) muscular strength/endurance (timed sit-ups). A questionnaire and consent form were sent home to the parents of all participants. The questionnaire asked the child's name, grade, gender, number of parents/guardians living at home, and who supervises the child after-school. Each third-, fourth- and fifth-grade class completed two days of testing during physical education class time. The mile run/walk was administered on the first day. The second day consisted of three stations: 1) sit-and-reach, 2) skinfold assessment and 3) timed sit-ups. A 2 X 2 MANOVA was used to analyze the data. There was no significant difference between children with after-school supervision and those without after-school supervision. There was also no significant difference between children from one-parent families and children from two-parent families. However, there was a significant interaction between the number of parents and whether or not there was supervision [F(4, 109)= 4.23, p= .003]. An examination of the accompanying univariate Ftests showed that this interaction was mainly due to the difference on the variable sit-ups [F(1, 1 12)= 4.94, p= .028]. A post-hoc simple effects analysis of variance for one-parent families showed that the mean value for sit-ups for children without after-school supervision (x= 39.75) [F= 1, 112)= 5.27, p= .024] was significantly greater than the mean value for situps for children with after-school supervision(x= 34.33). The analysis also showed for two-parent families that there was no difference in the mean number of sit-ups between children with supervision (x= 35.94) [F(1, 112)= .36, p=.549] and those without supervision (x= 34.94). === Institute for Wellness