Journal of Sports and Motor Development and Learning
Scientific Journal

The Effect of Brain Breaks on Academic Progress, Self-Efficacy, and Interest in Physical Activity of Primary School Students

Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under CC BY-NC 4.0 license

Authors

Mobina Javad Mutab 1
Fatemeh Rezaei 2

1 Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Humanities, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

2 Associated professor, Department of Motor Behavior Sports Science, Faculty of Humanities, Semnan University Semnan, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/jsmdl.2023.353912.1699
Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the effect of brain breaks on academic progress, self-efficacy, and interest in physical activity of primary school students.
Methods: The current research was a quasi-experimental type with a pre-test, post-test, and control group design. Its statistical population included fourth, fifth, and sixth-grade female students. Using the cluster random sampling method, 127 students were selected as the research sample and were assigned to two intervention and control groups through a simple random method. To collect data, the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (Morris, 2001) and the Children’s Attraction to Physical Activity questionnaire (Rose et al., 2009), and a researcher-made questionnaire for the educational progress of the participants were used. The intervention group performed brain breaks physical activities twice a day and three days a week for four months, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were evaluated using an independent t-test.
Results: Data analysis indicated that after the intervention (brain breaks), the average scores of the experimental group for three variables of academic achievement (F=3.57, P=0.001), self-efficacy (F=7.65, P=0.001), and interest in physical activity (F=10.72, P=0.001) had a significant difference compared with the control group.
Conclusion: These findings can highlight the need for planners and education officials to pay attention to the importance of the role of brain breaks activities in improving academic progress, self-efficacy, and its effect on the level of interest in physical activities of primary school girls.

Keywords

Brain Break
Academic Progress
Self-Efficacy
New Teaching Method
Physical Activity
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Journal of Sports and Motor Development and Learning
Volume 15, Issue 1
Spring 2023
Pages 63-78

  • Receive Date 16 January 2023
  • Revise Date 05 May 2023
  • Accept Date 09 May 2023

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