Co-Creation of a School-Based Motor Competence and Mental Health Intervention: Move Well, Feel Good

Abstract

Low motor competence (MC) and inhibited psychosocial development are associated with mental health difficulties. Improving children’s MC through school-based physical activity interventions emphasising psychosocial development may therefore be a mechanism for promoting positive mental health. This study describes and provides reflective insights into the co-creation of ‘Move Well Feel Good’, a primary school physical activity intervention to improve children’s MC and mental health. Class teachers, school leaders, physical activity specialists, and children (aged 8–9 years) participated in a series of co-creation workshops. Stakeholders’ knowledge and experiences were integrated with existing research evidence using creative methods (e.g., post-it note tasks, worksheets, and drawings) to facilitate discussion. The co-creation process culminated in stakeholder consensus voting for one of three proposed intervention ideas. Children cited physical and mental health benefits, enjoyment with friends, and high perceived competence as motives for being physically active. Opportunities to develop MC across the different segments of the school day were identified by adult stakeholders, who perceived children’s lack of resilience, an overloaded curriculum, and poor parental support for physical activity as barriers to intervention implementation. The chosen intervention idea received six out of a possible twelve votes. Co-creation projects are specific to the contexts in which they are implemented. This study reinforces the complex nature of school-based intervention development and highlights the value of engaging with stakeholders in co-creation processes.

Move Well, Feel Good: Feasibility and acceptability of a school-based motor competence intervention to promote positive mental health

“…An important strength of this study was the nine feasibility progression criteria which guided our assessment of feasibility and acceptability. We developed the intervention content through co-creation with children, teachers, and PE teachers [ 31 ], which positively reflected participants’ levels of engagement. Use of mixed methods that employed validated quantitative measures and developmentally-appropriate qualitative approaches afforded children and teachers opportunities to express their views and perceptions in different ways.…”

“…Phase 1 of MWFG involved school stakeholders (e.g., children, PE teachers, class teachers, school leaders) and the researchers co-creating the intervention programme [ 31 ] with schools and children recruited to the study during this phase between January 31 st and March 1 st 2022. Briefly, participants were Year 5 children (age 9–10 years) recruited from primary schools in West Lancashire, northwest England.…”

A career education program for early childhood youth: Development and initial evaluation

“…We referred to occupations that required an education of at least professional training, a high school diploma, or a degree. Second, to create a career intervention together with the educational context, we contacted the teachers of the two schools involved in the study and gathered their suggestions on other occupations to consider (Clifford et al, 2023). Teachers referred to jobs available in the neighborhood of the school or jobs about which they believed children had stereotyped beliefs.…”