The effect of dynamic playground games on social development and perceived physical competence in 8 to 12 years old students

Abstract

Aim and Background: Research in developmental psychology shows that the experience of exercise and play in childhood can have a significant and lasting impact on social development and psychological health. Therfore, the present study was conducted To evaluate the effectiveness of dynamic playground games on social development and perceived physical competence in boys aged 8 to 12 years. Methods and Materials: The research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all 8- to 12-year-old male students in Kermanshah in the academic year 2019-2020, from which 30 students were selected by convenience sampling and randomly divided into two groups of 15 experimental and Witnesses were present. The experimental group participated in dynamic yard games for 8 weeks. In the end, post-test was taken from both groups. Data were collected using the Vineland Social Development Scale (1953) and the Marsh somatic self-descriptive questionnaire (1998) and analyzed using analysis of covariance at the significant level of p <0.05. Findings: Findings showed that playground games have a positive and significant effect on social development and perceived physical competence of children (P<0.001). Conclusions: It seems that playground games can positively increase social development and perceived physical competence in children. Therefore, these games can be used to improve social status and perceived physical competence, which play an effective role in children's mental health.

Keywords

• physical activity
• playground
• social development
• perceived physical competence