Effects of traditional and highly emotional physical education program in high-school students

This study aimed to compare, in high-school students (mean age: 15 yrs), the effects of a traditional (TR) and a highly emotional (HE) physical education program. 96 boys (TR:46; HE:50) and 69 girls (TR:34; HE:35) were involved. The activity consisted of two hour/week throughout the school year. HE included pre-acrobatics, climbing, diving, skating, frisbee, beach tennis, and sailing. In TR, typical activities characterising the national PE programs were proposed. The following test battery was administered: standing broad jump (SBJ), hand-grip strength (HG), endurance (Leger), dynamic balance, sit&reach (SR). Furthermore, the students completed the following questionnaires: Self-Efficacy, Psychobiosocial states (PBS), Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ). Boys of both groups significantly increased HG strength (2.6 kg), and girls of the TR group. Both groups and sexes showed slightly (1-5 cm) increased SBJ, slightly decreased endurance, and improved balance (0.5-0.7 m/s). SR showed a significant improvement (3 cm) in the TR group (both sexes). Self-Efficacy decreased in boys of the HE group, and increased in girls of the TR group. Boys showed increased scores in the PBS and PACES, whereas girls showed small improvements in the PBS. Boys of the TR group improved in the PSDQ (self-esteem factor), whereas girls of the TR group showed a worsened score. Finally, in the TR group, all students improved the score in the PSDQ activity scale. In summary, varied effects of PE were observed on physical fitness and psychosocial variables, according to the sex of students and the type of proposed activity.