Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
University Psychiatric Center, KU Leuven, Kortenberg, Belgium.
Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2022 Nov;27(4):361-368. doi: 10.1111/camh.12573. Epub 2022 Jun 24.
School-based physical activity (PA) programmes such as The Daily Mile (TDM) are widely promoted to address shortfalls in meeting PA recommendations. This study is the first to examine TDM (a daily one mile outdoor run/walk performed at a self-selected pace during school hours) on mental health, self-esteem and self-perceived competence of elementary schoolchildren.
In total, 550 children (n = 289 boys, aged 5-13 years) were recruited from seven schools across Flanders. The Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were completed before, during and post-intervention. One-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to examine changes over time. Additional subgroup analyses of children with low scores on the SPPC (-1SD) were performed.
Only perceived global self-worth (SPPC) was significantly higher (p = .041) following TDM. However, in children with low baseline SPPC scores, significant increases with large effect sizes were found for global self-worth (p = <.001), scholastic competence (p = .001), social competence (p = .003), athletic competence (p = .002), physical appearance (p = <.001) and behavioural conduct (p = .003) following TDM. Moreover, significant reductions over time were reported by parents for total difficulties (p < .001), hyperactivity (p = .004), peer problems (p = .008) and emotional symptoms (p = <.001) and an increase in prosocial behaviour (p = .038) on the SDQ following TDM. However, no changes for conduct problems were observed (p = .143).
The study is the first to indicate that TDM potentially improves mental health, self-esteem and self-perceived competence in elementary schoolchildren, especially in those with a poor mental health status. Randomised controlled trials are now required to more definitively test these findings.
学校体育活动（PA）计划，如每日英里（TDM），被广泛推广以解决未能满足 PA 建议的问题。本研究首次检查 TDM（在学校期间以自我选择的速度进行的每天一英里户外跑步/步行）对小学生心理健康、自尊和自我感知能力的影响。
总共从弗拉芒地区的七所学校招募了 550 名儿童（n=289 名男孩，年龄 5-13 岁）。在干预前后，使用儿童自我知觉量表（SPPC）和困难问卷（SDQ）进行评估。采用单向重复测量方差分析来检验随时间的变化。对 SPPC 得分较低（-1SD）的儿童进行了额外的亚组分析。
仅在 TDM 后，感知的总体自我价值感（SPPC）显著升高（p=0.041）。然而，在基线 SPPC 得分较低的儿童中，TDM 后，总体自我价值感（p=0.001）、学业能力（p=0.001）、社会能力（p=0.003）、运动能力（p=0.002）、外貌（p=0.001）和行为表现（p=0.003）均显著增加，且具有较大的效应量。此外，家长报告 TDM 后 SDQ 的总体困难（p<0.001）、多动（p=0.004）、同伴问题（p=0.008）和情绪症状（p<0.001）显著减少，亲社会行为（p=0.038）增加。然而，行为问题无变化（p=0.143）。
本研究首次表明，TDM 可能改善小学生的心理健康、自尊和自我感知能力，尤其是心理健康状况较差的儿童。现在需要进行随机对照试验来更明确地检验这些发现。
