The Relationship Between Physical Fitness and School Performance in Middle School Girls

The Relationship Between Physical Fitness and School Performance in Middle School Girls by Jamie Anne Donnelly MA, University of Hartford, 2005 BA, Mount Holyoke College, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University January 2016 Abstract Past research has indicated a significant relationship between physical fitness and standardized test scores; however, the relationship between physical fitness and other aspects of school performance has yet to be empirically examined in a population specifically composed of middle school girls. This study examined several factors that contribute to school success, such as classroom behavior, attendance, and grades, in relation to physical fitness among a group of adolescent girls. It was specifically designed to examine the statistical relationship between physical fitness, as measured by the Fitnessgram, and quantitative data on school performance including grades, standardized test scores, school behavior, and attendance among 280 middle school girls. The biopsychosocial theory was used as the basis of this study, with the biological factors of fitness levels and BMI, psychological factors of grades and test scores, and social factors of attendance and behavior. A 1-way between-subjects multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated that the psychological and social factors of school performance were significantly affected by the biological factor of physical fitness. A significant correlation was also found between BMI, grades, and attendance. Positive social change implications include informing school administrators on the importance of increasing the emphasis on physical activity instead of replacing physical activity with additional time in core academic subjects. In addition, the results demonstrate the important relationship between school performance and physical fitness in middle school girls and underscore the importance of fostering physical fitness within this distinct group of middle school-aged girls.Past research has indicated a significant relationship between physical fitness and standardized test scores; however, the relationship between physical fitness and other aspects of school performance has yet to be empirically examined in a population specifically composed of middle school girls. This study examined several factors that contribute to school success, such as classroom behavior, attendance, and grades, in relation to physical fitness among a group of adolescent girls. It was specifically designed to examine the statistical relationship between physical fitness, as measured by the Fitnessgram, and quantitative data on school performance including grades, standardized test scores, school behavior, and attendance among 280 middle school girls. The biopsychosocial theory was used as the basis of this study, with the biological factors of fitness levels and BMI, psychological factors of grades and test scores, and social factors of attendance and behavior. A 1-way between-subjects multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated that the psychological and social factors of school performance were significantly affected by the biological factor of physical fitness. A significant correlation was also found between BMI, grades, and attendance. Positive social change implications include informing school administrators on the importance of increasing the emphasis on physical activity instead of replacing physical activity with additional time in core academic subjects. In addition, the results demonstrate the important relationship between school performance and physical fitness in middle school girls and underscore the importance of fostering physical fitness within this distinct group of middle school-aged girls. The Relationship Between Physical Fitness and School Performance in Middle School Girls by Jamie Anne Donnelly MA, University of Hartford, 2005 BA, Mount Holyoke College, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University January 2016 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to everyone who has been with me through this journey, both on Earth and in the heavens. There are so many people that I cannot even begin to mention them here. Specifically, I want to dedicate this to my late grandmother, Mary, who always believed in the abilities I possess and encouraged me to utilize the intelligence God blessed me with; to my late father, James, who gave me an ego the size of Texas, who instilled in me a confidence that there was nothing I could not do; and to my mom, Anne, who has been asking me for years when I will be done with this, but never doubted I would eventually finish this journey. As I write this, my journey through academia is not ending with the finalization of this dissertation, but beginning, as I begin my new life as Dr. Donnelly. Acknowledgments Here is where I can mention more of those people who have been here on my journey. First, I want to thank Dr. Patti Barrows, my chair, who has seen me through the most difficult times in my dissertation writing and has shown great patience when things are taking much longer than they should. Another thanks goes to Dr. Tony Napoli, my methods genius committee member, who has been a tremendous help in navigating the world of MANOVA and other statistical methods with the help of all of Andy Fields’ books. In addition, I want to acknowledge my former principal, the brilliant Dr. Susan Keller. Without her, I would probably still be sitting here trying to determine how to combine all of my interests into one dissertation topic. A big thank you goes out to my “dissertation buddies” who I have leaned on for support. Finally, to my friends and family who have been so patient with me, as my life has been stuck in dissertation mode for so long now. They have all been tremendous support to me in so many ways, that I can’t even begin to express my gratitude.