Potential Predictors of Psychological Wellbeing in Elementary School Students

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association of elementary school students’ manipulative skill competency, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cognitive function with psychological wellbeing (PWB), as well as whether the association had gender differences. Methods: Participants were 291 fourth-grade students (166 boys vs. 125 girls; mean age = 9.770 years old; SD = 0.584) at two elementary schools from the province of Henan in China. The students’ soccer skills in manipulative skill competency were assessed using the PE Metric Assessment Rubric, cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by means of the PACER 15 m test, and cognitive function and PWB were assessed using the d2 test of attention and Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, respectively. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression models. Results: The result of linear regression models showed that soccer skills, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cognitive function were collectively associated with PWB for the total sample (F (5, 285) = 3.097, p < 0.01), boys (F (5, 160) = 1.355, p < 0.01), and girls (F (5, 119) = 2.132, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the standardized regression coefficients (β) indicated that cardiorespiratory fitness was the only significant contributor to PWB for the total sample (β = 0.119, t = 2.021, p < 0.05), but not for boys and girls. Soccer skills and cognitive function were not individual significant contributors to PWB for the total sample, boys, and girls. Conclusions: Cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly associated with PWB, and there were no gender differences in the relationship of manipulative skill competency, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cognitive function with PWB in elementary school students. This study provides empirical evidence that improving cardiorespiratory fitness is an important intervention strategy to promote elementary school students’ PWB.

Physical Activity Levels, Perceived Body Appearance, and Body Functioning in Relation to Perceived Wellbeing Among Adolescents

“…They may interpret their high stamina and strength as sufficient to perform regular PA and to help them cope with daily stressors, which increase resilience, self-efficacy, and wellbeing (Edward, 2005 ). Improving cardiorespiratory fitness has been shown to be an important interventional strategy to promote psychological wellbeing in children (Chen et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Body image, which is defined as the internal subjective perceptions of both body appearance and body functioning (Cash and Pruzinsky, 1990 ), also includes attitudinal components that involve how one perceives themselves (Grogan, 2021 ) and experiences appearance and body functions in daily life (Hosseini and Padhy, 2021 ), which are all vital to wellbeing. The relationship between body image and wellbeing (Gillen, 2015 ), between body image and PA (Kantanista et al, 2015 ), and between PA and wellbeing (Biddle and Asare, 2011 ; Ekkekakis, 2013 ; Chen et al, 2021 ) indicate that school and health care providers should encourage PA and positive body image among young persons to improve wellbeing and yield potential health benefits.…”

Conscious Self-Regulation and Psychological Well-Being as Resources for Academic Success in Young Adolescents: A Structural Model

“…EF представляют собой систему когнитивных процессов, обеспечивающих достижение значимых целей деятельности в сложных динамических условиях. Их общим признаком является укорененность в активности префронтальных отделов коры головного мозга [13]. Регуляторно-личностные свойства, такие как самостоятельность, надежность, настойчивость, инициативность, ответственность, формируются значительно позже, ближе к подростковому возрасту, и, соответственно, вся система саморегуляции не может избежать эффектов гетерогенности и гетерохронности развития.…”

Effects on Children’s Physical and Mental Well-Being of a Physical-Activity-Based School Intervention Program: A Randomized Study

“…A meta-analysis study has demonstrated that, in children, PA participation is associated with better cognitive performance [5]. It should be noted that motor skills [15], cardiorespiratory fitness [16], and cognitive function [17][18][19] are significantly associated with psychological well-being (PWB) [18,19]. PWB is referred to positive mental states, such as happiness or satisfaction, and sometimes this aspect of psychological well-being is referred to as subjective well-being [20].…”