THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

Focus: Physical Activity and self esteem

Effects of self esteem...

Self esteem

Confidence

Acceptance

Identity

Effects of physical activity...

Friendships

• Sense of belonging

• Self esteem

Achievement

• Confidence

• Self esteem

Support

• Sense of belonging

• Self esteem

Health benefits

• Mental clarity

• Physical health

Physical Activity

• Confidence• Self esteem

What other ways can physical activity impact upon self esteem? Good and bad...

How can we encourage the ‘good’ impacts of physical activity on self esteem?

Are the impacts of physical activity on self esteem long term or short term?

THE COCHRANE COLLABORATION

A study completed to determine if exercise alone or exercise as part of a comprehensive intervention can improve self-esteem among children and young people.

Ekeland. E., et al. (2009). Exercise to improve self-esteem in children and young people. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD003683/pdf_fs.html

•There is strong evidence for benefits of exercise on physical health.•Minimal evidence on the effects of exercise on mental health.

Why?

Ekeland. E., et al. (2009)

•1821 children and young people,•3-20 years,•Randomised selection across Norway,•Participants came from all walks of life, •Small trials,•Bias was assessed,

How?

Ekeland. E., et al. (2009)

•Some students were involved in gross motor, energetic activity (running, swimming, ball games)•Others were involved in “ordinary” physical activity (HPE classes, walking to school, play time activities)•Control group•4 weeks in total (short term)•All measurements of children’s self-esteem.

How?

Ekeland. E., et al. (2009)

• Exercise does improve self-esteem,• Primarily in the short term,• Definitely for children and young people at risk.

Results...

Ekeland. E., et al. (2009)

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SEDENTARY BEHAVIOUR AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING AMONG ADOLESCENTS- 2007Within the journal of Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

Cook, G., et al. (2007). The relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and psychological wellbeing among adolescents. Journal of Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 42, 851 – 856. Retrieved March 15, 2011 from SpringerLink database.

•Previous studies examining this relationship are limited due to lack of control of variables. •Analysed the relationship between self reported physical activity level, sedentary behaviour and psychological wellbeing. •Controlled sociodemographic, health and developmental factors.

Why?

Cook, G., et al. (2007)

•School-based survey in ten British towns,•2 623 students aged 13 – 16,•Self reported physical activity, patterns of sedentary behaviour,•Completion of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. •Adjustments made for age and town.

How?

Cook, G., et al. (2007)

Reported level of physical activity...

Characteristic: Boys % Boys Girls % Girls Total % Total

Child’s rating of time active:

Little physical activity

164 12.4% 303 24.9% 467 18.4%

Once/twice a week 394 29.9% 539 44.4% 933 36.8%

4 – 6 times a week 492 37.3% 277 22.8% 769 30.3%

7 or more times a week

269 20.4% 96 7.9% 365 14.4%

Total 1319 100% 1215 100% 2534 100%

Cook, G., et al. (2007)

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire...

Interpreting the graphs:• 0-13: Close to average, unlikely to be clinically significant• 14-16: Slightly raised may reflect clinically significant problems• 17-40: High substantial risk of clinically significant problemsCook, G., et al. (2007)

Results...

6.3% of girls and 5.4% of boys had abnormally high SDQ scores.

Reports of low sedentary behaviour were significantly related to reports of high levels of physical activity and vice versa.

For both boys and girls, a SDQ score of >15 was significantly related to low physical activity levels.

Cook, G., et al. (2007)

• Strong and graded associations were found between lower levels of physical activity and lower psychological wellbeing. • Adjustments were made for a wide range of variables•Strengths: adolescent specific, several measures of physical activity, adjustments made for variables.•Limitations: reliance on self-reports.•Modest response rate, but this is unlikely to have interfered with the observed associations.

Results...

Cook, G., et al. (2007)

• Is physical activity the only impact on self esteem?•How can we impact on our students’ levels of physical activity?• How can we encourage physical activity to improve self esteem?

What does this mean for teachers?

Cook, G., et al. (2007)