AbstractTo evaluate the possibilities of physical activity in developing inmates’ healthy lifestyle and social skills. The research, which was conducted in 2009 in Pravieniskes First and Second Correction Houses, was local and cross-sectional using a written questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four groups of questions/statements: I — demographic questions; II — questions/statements about inmates’ physical (sports) activities (was created for this study) and III — assessment of inmates’ social skills. And IV — assessment of inmates’ self esteem. Sufficiently physically active inmates (n=185) comprised 57.8 percent of the total number of respondents. Inmates’ physical activity statistically significantly (p<0.05) correlates with their younger age. Secondary education is prevailing in the group of physically active inmates, while primary — lower secondary education predominates in the group of physically inactive inmates (n=135). Only less than 6 percent of inmates have higher education. The average age of physically active inmates is statistically significantly lower than that of physically inactive inmates, 26 and 31.6 years respectively (p=0.01). The analysis of inmates’ contentment with their psychological state and satisfaction with health care services, food quality, and conditions for sports activities showed that physically active inmates are more critical about these factors than physically inactive inmates. Only the contentment with psychological state in physically active inmates is statistically significantly higher than in inactive inmates. Out of eleven social skills assessed in the study, only two skills (ability to initiate conversation with a stranger and sense of responsibility) are statistically significant (p<0.05). The probability that the convicts who have a strong sense of responsibility tend to be more physically active than the inmates who do not consider themselves responsible is 7.4 times higher. The study results showed that self-esteem in physically active inmates is statistically significantly higher that in physically inactive inmates (p=0.033). Low self-esteem was not determined in any inmates.

Background. Grigaliūnienė, Vėlavičienė, Šulga, and Keblys (2007) have revealed that meaningful relationships with teachers are influenced by positive attitudes towards them with a good emotional atmosphere in the classroom and a positive microclimate between pupils and teachers. Many scientists point out that education in sports activities positively impacts the development of adolescents' communication and collaboration with peers and adults, adequate self-evaluation and other positive personality characteristics (Kremer-Sadlik & Kim, 2007;Ream & Rumberger, 2008). Research aim was to determine the evaluation of educational school environment and academic self-evaluation of 11-15-year-old adolescent athletes and non-athletes.Methods. The research was conducted in 2015. We questioned 209 adolescents, aged 11-15 years. In order to determine adolescents' attitudes towards school educational environment, the survey included the following scales: "Teachers' help for pupils"; "Support of classmates"; "Positive relationship between adolescents and school"; "Attitude towards socioeducational school environment"; "Loneliness at school", and "Academic self-evaluation".Results. The survey revealed that boys' attitudes to socioeducational school environment resulted to be better than that of girls (p < .05) and that younger adolescents felt more help from the teachers at school than older adolescents (p < .05), but they also pointed out that they experienced a stronger sense of loneliness at school (p < .05). More positive relationship was revealed between adolescent athletes and school (p < .05), but adolescent nonathletes had a better attitude to socioeducational school environment.Conclusion. It was found that although adolescent non-athletes had a better approach to socioeducational school environment, their peer reported having a better link with school.