Evidence-based Strategies for Socially, Emotionally and Physically Beneficial School Recess

Massey, William V.; Stellino, Megan Babkes; Claassen, Jennette; Dykstra, Samantha; Henning, Andrea L.

doi:10.1080/07303084.2018.1440266

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…The interest in studying school breaks is evidenced by the proliferation of research in recent years [6][7][8][9][10]15]. All of them underline the benefits that recesses generate in students, such as an increase in the level of physical activity, thus reversing the general tendency to sedentary lifestyles.…”

Section: Quality Educational Recessesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A special mention should be made about the studies conducted by [6][7][8][9][10], focused on analyzing the quality of the recess experience, beyond focusing exclusively on the physical activity of the students, as in most of the studies, or in the aspect of safety and the architectural design of the physical spaces, as found in other studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of the Company of Adults and the Interactions during School Recess: The COVID-19 Effect at Primary Schools

2021

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The main objective of the study was to evaluate the interactions between students and schoolteachers during recess before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in primary schools in Catalonia (Spain). In a first phase, using an observational methodology, the behaviors of adults and students were diagnosed according to the type of school. The sample consisted of 23 schools, with 69 observations at different times of the school day. The COVID-19 outbreak made it necessary to extend the present study to identify changes in school recess forced by the pandemic. In this second phase, 34 school schoolteachers were interviewed. The results show little or no adult involvement during recess, beyond mere supervision, and the need for training to improve school recess management. Regarding the changes made during the pandemic, it is concluded that there was a good implementation of protocols, an increase in organization and a reduction in conflicts. The design of school recesses with the participation of schoolteachers and students is important, although during the pandemic, this idea has taken a back seat, with schoolteachers assuming the role of dividing groups and spaces, and supervising transitions. We emphasize the importance of training students to be more proactive in conflict resolution, to ensure self-care and individual and collective responsibility.

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Section: Quality Educational Recessesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the Company of Adults and the Interactions during School Recess: The COVID-19 Effect at Primary Schools

2021

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Physical activity and social interaction assessments in schoolyard settings using the System for Observing Outdoor Play Environments in Neighborhood Schools (SOOPEN)

Hazlehurst¹,

Wolf²,

Simmons³

et al. 2023

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act

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Background The schoolyard environment provides key opportunities to promote physical activity and socioemotional development for children. Schoolyards can also serve as a community park resource outside of school hours. We aimed to: (i) implement and evaluate reliability of the System for Observing Outdoor Play Environments in Neighborhood Schools (SOOPEN), (ii) assess schoolyard use by children during recess and community members of all ages outside of school hours, and (iii) investigate relationships of schoolyard and children´s group characteristics with physical activity levels and prosocial interactions. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we observed student and community visitor behavior using SOOPEN at three urban elementary schoolyards in Tacoma, Washington, USA, prior to renovations intended to expand each facility’s use as a community park in neighborhoods with poor park access. We assessed interrater reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients and described current levels of schoolyard use (at the group level), physical activity, and prosocial behavior. Physical activity was assessed on a five-point scale and dichotomized to indicate moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Social interactions were coded as prosocial, antisocial, or neutral. We examined associations of selected schoolyard features and group characteristics with group MVPA and prosocial behavior during recess using modified Poisson regression to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results We observed a total of 981 activity-defined, informal groups in the schoolyards, and achieved good to excellent interrater reliability using SOOPEN. Community use of the schoolyards during evenings and weekends was limited (n = 56 groups). During 26, 25–50 min recess periods (n = 833 groups), 19% of groups were engaged in MVPA. Schoolyard areas with paved surfaces were associated with more MVPA (PR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.23) compared to field/grass areas; supervised groups were associated with less MVPA than groups not directly supervised by an adult (PR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.96). Schoolyard characteristics were not associated with prosocial behavior. Mixed-gender groups were associated with more MVPA and more prosocial behavior. Conclusions Our study using SOOPEN, a reliable new activity observation tool, highlights the multi-dimensional dynamics of physical activity and social interactions in schoolyards, which could be leveraged to promote healthy behaviors during and outside of school hours.

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Evidence-based Strategies for Socially, Emotionally and Physically Beneficial School Recess

Cited by 2 publications

References 13 publications

Analysis of the Company of Adults and the Interactions during School Recess: The COVID-19 Effect at Primary Schools

Analysis of the Company of Adults and the Interactions during School Recess: The COVID-19 Effect at Primary Schools

Physical activity and social interaction assessments in schoolyard settings using the System for Observing Outdoor Play Environments in Neighborhood Schools (SOOPEN)

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