The impact of moderate-vigorous intensity physical education class immediately prior to standardized testing on student test-taking behaviors

Publication date: October 2016 Source:Mental Health and Physical Activity, Volume 11 Author(s): Hannah R. Thompson, Jessica Duvall, Ryan Padrez, Natalie Rosekrans, Kristine A. Madsen Regular physical activity improves academic performance in children, yet the short-term impact of activity on test scores and related behaviors, such as testing anxiety, is less established. Laboratory research demonstrates a positive relationship, but the impact of activity before testing in the school setting remains unstudied. We assessed the impact of a moderate-vigorous intensity physical education (PE) lesson directly before reading/math standardized tests on 5th grade student test-taking outcomes. A cluster RCT design was employed within a highly diverse public school district. Fifth grade classes (n = 29) were randomized to a standardized 40-min PE lesson immediately prior to testing or control condition. After testing, teacher ratings of students’ classroom behavior during math testing were 12% higher in intervention vs. control classes (p = 0.047; Cohen’s d = 0.79). There were no overall differences in student reported test-taking anxiety between groups, though differences by race/ethnicity and sex were present; intervention African American students reported a more positive physical state on math tests (11% higher, p = 0.012; Cohen’s d = 0.51) and on reading (10% higher, p = 0.040; Cohen’s d = 0.40) tests, and lower overall test anxiety during the math test...
Source: Mental Health and Physical Activity - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research