Positive relationships of character strengths with fitness and physical activity in primary school children

Abstract

Objective: This study is the first to examine the relationship between character strengths, objective physical fitness, and physical activity in primary school children. Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 and 2017 at a school in Japan. Main Outcome Measures: We obtained informed consent from 236 fourth-grade students; 122 fifth-grade students; and 142 sixth-grade students. After excluding participants with missing data, 473 children (247 boys and 226 girls; aged 9–12 years) with informed consent were included in the study. We measured character strengths, physical fitness, and/or physical activity of fourth- to sixth-grade participants. Results: Among boys, the total score of physical fitness was significantly associated with perseverance-honesty, courage-ideas, compassion-gratitude, and fairness-care ( p < 0.05). Among girls, the total score of physical fitness was significantly associated with perseverance-honesty, courage-ideas, and compassion-gratitude ( p < 0.05). Regarding the relationship between character strengths and physical activity, perseverance-honesty was significantly associated with total steps and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), whereas courage ideas were significantly associated with total steps ( p < 0.05) in boys. In girls, perseverance-honesty was associated with MVPA ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings revealed that character strengths are positively associated with objective physical fitness and physical activity in primary-school children.