Are Tertiary Institutions Losing Sight of Their Duty to Cura Personalis?

Purpose: Physical education requirements (PERs) have been suggested as a potential solution for increasing physical activity (PA) among undergraduate students, specifically for the inactive who face the greatest barriers to PA. In 2010, among a nationally-representative, random sample of tertiary institutions in the U.S. only 39% had PERs as part of their general education curriculum. But, being a decade old, this data may be outdated. The aim of this study was to examine the current status of PERs in U.S. tertiary institutions and to explore what institutional characteristics are associated with having a PER. Methods: Academic catalogs of a nationally representative, random sample of 331 institutions were searched for PER information. Results: The majority of U.S. tertiary institutions did not mandate physical education (PE) courses (56.2%), whereas 31.7% fully and 12% partially required their undergraduate students to complete a PE course to graduate. The characteristics most associated with an institution having a PER included being private, having a small enrollment size, having an academic degree program related to the field, having both activity and conceptual components, being <3 credit hours, offering an elective program in physical activity education, and being located in the south. Conclusion: Future work is needed to identify important elements of PER courses, reasons why PERs are sustained by some institutions versus others, and to establish practical guidelines regarding best practices for quality PER courses. More direct action within the discipline of kinesiology is needed to underscore the importance and need of PERs at the tertiary level.

Recess Quality and Social and Behavioral Health in Elementary School Students.

BACKGROUND: A majority of research findings have focused on recess as instrumental to achieving minutes of physical activity rather than focusing on the psycho-social benefits associated with a high-quality recess environment. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between recess quality and teacher-reported social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes in children. METHODS: Data were collected from 26 schools in 4 different regions of the United States. Teachers (N = 113) completed behavioral assessments for randomly selected children in their classrooms (N = 352). Data assessors conducted live observations of recess using the Great Recess Framework-Observational Tool. A series of 2-level regression models were fit in Mplus v. 8.2 to assess how recess quality was associated with indicators of children's social, emotional, and behavioral health. RESULTS: Recess quality significantly predicted executive functioning problems (b = -.360, p = .021), resilience (b = .369, p = .016), emotional self-control (b = -.367, p = .016), and a composite of adaptive classroom behaviors (b = .321, p = .030). CONCLUSION: Results of the present study demonstrate that recess quality impacts child developmental outcomes. Schools should ensure there is adequate training and resources to facilitate a positive and meaningful recess for students.

From policy to practice: Examining the role of recess in elementary school.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between school recess policies, the quality of the recess environment and body mass index (BMI) among elementary school children. Study design: Observational. Methods: Data were collected at 23 schools across four geographically distinct regions of the United States. Measures included recess observations using the Great Recess Framework-Observational Tool (GRF-OT), recess policies were collected with the School Physical Activity and Policy Assessment, and BMI was obtained through height and weight measurements among 429 students in third and fifth grade. Results: Results showed that school policies related to recess access significantly predicted children's BMI, and school policies related to investment in recess significantly predicted recess quality as measured by the GRF-OT. Conclusions: Results from this study can be used to help inform future research regarding how school recess policies can impact child-level outcomes and the recess environment.