An Evaluation of Performance Feedback Intervention to Increase Children's Physical Activity Levels and Reduce Disruptive Behavior

Abstract

Childhood obesity has become a concern in today's society. Children may be more at risk because the majority of them are not reaching the recommended amount of time to engage in physical activity during the day. This rise of physical inactivity has been linked to children's mental and physical health as well as school performance. The current study examined a performance feedback and coaching intervention provided before the recess period during the school day to assess its impact on increasing the child's physical activity. The effect of the intervention on on-task behavior was also assessed. Five students from a fourth-grade classroom in a rural elementary school were recruited for this concurrent multiple baseline design. The findings indicate that there were some moderate changes in some students' physical activity, as well as less variability in their participation of physical activity. Additionally, there were moderate changes in the students' on-task behavior. Recommendations for practice and future research implications are discussed.