European Physical Education Review

The purpose of the present study was to test the specificity hypothesis in the area of education. This hypothesis is derived from Vallerand’shierarchical model of motivation and argues that situational motivation towards a specific activity should be mainly influenced by contextual motivation towards this activity, and not so much by contextual motivation towards a non-related activity. Furthermore, comparative differences in self-determination between physical education (PE) and classroombased education were examined. Participants were 102 British pupils aged between 12 and 14 years who reported their contextual motivation towards PE and classroom-based education. A month later, these pupils also reported their situationalmotivation toward a PE lesson and a science lesson (physics). Results from regression analyses offered full support to the specificity hypothesis. Furthermore, comparisons of self-determination levels showed that pupils were more self-determined in PE than in the classroom at both the contextual and situational levels. The specificity effect indicates that motivation at school is a multidimensional construct and, therefore, interventions to promote motivation should target each aspect of schooling independently.

Parents of children and adolescents with physical disabilities have an important role in strengthening and supporting their children in everyday life. Children and adolescents with physical disabilities do not ordinarily have natural access to club activities, nor do they receive the same supportfor physical activities as their peers without disabilities. The aim of this Swedish study was to describe parents’ conceptions of the influences of participation in a sports programme on their children and adolescents with physical disabilities. The data were collected from 20 parents of children and adolescents with disabilities in the 9–15 year age group through interviews based on a holistic view. The method of analysis used was inspired by phenomenography. Three descriptive categories emerged: achievinggood health, being part of a social group and learning a sporting activity.The findings show that the parents regarded sport as a form of health education and as a means for their children to achieve increased participation in society. The findings also show that the learning process was important for empowering the children to influence their life situation.

This study examined gender, seasonal and school versus after-school timedifferences in physical activity levels assessed by pedometer. Year 6 primary school children (n= 256) wore pedometers for five days in winterand for the same period of time in the summer. Two-way analysis of varianceshowed that boys acquired significantly higher mean daily step counts than girls in winter (15,480 ± 4153 vs 11,160 ± 2694), and summer (17,624 ± 5035 vs 13,607 ± 4396). Children’s mean dailystep counts were significantly higher in summer than in winter. Children attained significantly higher mean step counts during after-school time than during school time. No significant differences could be found between activity levels on school days or on Sundays. Expected daily step counts are utilized to describe the physical activity levels of the children.

This article reports on a study that accepts the proposal that we listento the voices of young people in relation to sport and physical recreation.The study sought the advice of young sports leaders on what can be done to facilitate young people’s involvement in sport. The study used group interviews (Nominal Group Technique) with over 600 14–18-year-olds toelicit responses to a single question, ‘What can be done to help young people participate in sport?’ This article focuses on young people’s views on issues to do with climate and conditions. We argue that, while their advice offers support for some current initiatives in youth sport, it also provides new insights and challenges and suggests a reordering of existing priorities for youth sport and leisure provision.

The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to examine the effects of specific cut-off scoring points on the estimated prevalence of meeting health-related guidelines for physical activity in youth and, second, to document the differences in gender physical activity patterns according to two different cut-off points. The sample for the present study comprised 157 children (boys n= 64 and girls n= 93), aged 8 to 16 years old. Based on activities’ intensity (MET), the daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was calculated using an equation regression developed for adults. In addition, based on the same procedures (MET)data were analysed using the cut-off points (ranging between 614 counts. min- 1 at 6 years old to 1880 counts. min-1 for 16 years old) specially developed for children. The data analysis from youth’s cut-off points reveal that both sexes engaged in significantly (p= 0.01) more MVPA when compared with cut-off points designed for adults. Boys engaged in significantly (p= 0.01) more MVPA activities than girls regardless of the CSA cut-off point used. Our data also showed that, except for boys aged 14–16 years old, the percentage of students that reach the physical activity health-related criteria (at least 60 minutes of MVPA/day) was significantly higher in both boys (77.3% vs 93.9%; p< 0.05) andgirls (50% vs 79.3%; p< 0.01) when the youth’s cut-off point was used. The youth-specific cut-off points used could be an important improvement in studies that develop prescription guidelines for children and adolescents. This still needs to be refined, and as a result healthrelated criteria for young people need to be based on further research evidence.

In recent years, teachers in the UK and elsewhere have been encouraged to include ‘health aims’ as part of the physicaleducation curriculum. The widely reported worldwide ‘rising tide of obesity’ has been a major motivating concern. This article looks critically at ‘obesity research’, offers a wayof reading it and suggests that many of its claims are at best over-exaggerated, at worst unfounded and, ironically, if translated uncritically in schools could damage the educational interests and health of children and young people. The article calls on those engaged in health and physical education to take a more cautious and critical attitude towards the obesity literature in the interests of preserving not only the educational aspirations of PE but also the health of young people.