An empirical study for assessing the level of enjoinment in an Italian primary school

Abstract

It is well established the relationship between the enjoyment within the physical activities and the personal motivation to follow up a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the level of enjoinment during and after the practice of physical and sport activities in school sector. The sample was recruited from a primary school in the south of Italy and the participants had the following characteristics: male: 75; female: 75; mean age: 9.45. The participants were divided into two groups: control group (children did not practice any physical activities) and experimental group (children performed structured physical and sport activities). Two scales have been used for assessing the level of enjoy in such groups: the Italian version of the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES-IT) and the Enjoy Scale. The scales provided valid and interesting data for comparing the differences between the two groups. The obtained notes will be useful for supporting the work of the physical education teachers.