Academic Achievement in Spanish Secondary School Students: The Inter-Related Role of Executive Functions, Physical Activity and Gender

Abstract

There is a growing interest in determining which variables contribute to students’ academic performance, since this performance is associated with their wellbeing and with the progress of the nation. This study analyzed whether different variables (executive functions and physical activity levels, gender and academic year) of 177 Spanish Compulsory Secondary School students contributed to their academic performance. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function 2 (BRIEF-2), Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and an ad hoc questionnaire were used to determine the students’ executive functioning, physical activity level, gender and academic year, respectively. Students’ grades were considered to be indicators of their academic achievement. Seven multiple linear regression models were constructed using the R computing language to examine the association between academic achievement (considered in each of the 5 subjects: Language, Mathematics, Geography and History, English and Physical Education; the mean of the instrumental subjects—Language and Mathematics—and the mean of all the subjects) and the independent variables. The results indicated that executive functions, physical activity and gender contributed to academic performance, but academic year did not. This suggests that students with good executive functions, who perform physical activity and are female, would have better academic achievement. This information should be considered when designing interventions to improve student academic achievement.

The mediating effect of geospatial thinking on the relationship between family capital and academic achievement in geography

“…Gil-Espinosa et al (2019) noted that academic achievement in geography was significantly, although weakly correlated with students' intelligence. Similar studies have shown that students' executive functioning, physical activity and gender have a positive impact on academic achievement in geography (Escolano-Pérez and Bestué, 2021). Similarly, students with a positive attitude to learning tend to do better in academic achievement in geography (Díaz-Serrano and Martínez, 2016).…”

“…However, there are a number of factors affecting students' academic achievement in geography, which can be broadly classified into two categories: internal factors (individual student factors) and external factors (e.g., family, school, and social aspects). Research has shown that gender, attitudes to learning and health behaviors can affect academic achievement in geography (Escolano-Pérez and Bestué, 2021). At the same time, individual geospatial thinking is also considered to be an important element in the achievement of the geography profession (Huynh and Sharpe, 2013).…”

Attention and Academic Performance: The Moderator Role of Weight Status and Diet Quality

“…For example, in 10-12 year-old schoolchildren, they found that an attention intervention improved performance in a musical aptitude test (Martín et al, 2007). Likewise, in 9-year-old (Reyes et al, 2015), 6-12-year-old (Fonseca-Estupiñan et al, 2016, secondary (León, 2008;Zorza et al, 2016;Escolano-Pérez & Bestué, 2021) and high school (Manriquez-López, 2019) schoolchildren, they found a significant relationship between attention and academic 716…”

Motor skills and cognitive benefits in children and adolescents: Relationship, mechanism and perspectives

“…The dynamic mechanism model of physical activity emphasizes that motor skills are not only the internal mechanism that affects the participation and persistence of physical activity, but also interact with physical activity to jointly maintain the physical and mental health benefits of children and adolescents ( Stodden et al, 2008 ). Available evidence ( Drollette et al, 2016 ; Escolano-Pérez and Bestué, 2021 ) also indicates a direct positive correlation between physical activity and cognition and better academic performance. Based on a review of the relationship between motor skills and the cognitive benefits of children and adolescents, this study proposes pathways and mechanisms by which motor skills enhance the cognitive benefits of children and adolescents ( Figure 1 ).…”