Relationship between the Self-Concept and Muscular Strength in Southern Spanish Children

Abstract

Objetive: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between self-concept and muscular strength in elementary schoolchildren. Design: Ex post facto cross-sectional design and descriptive court. Method: 256 schoolchildren (142 females) aged 8 to 11 participated in the handgrip strength and longitudinal jump assessment to calculate the muscular strength index. Self-concept was assessed by the Self-Concept Scale Piers-Harris. Results: In both genres, higher muscular strength levels were significantly associated with the behavioral (p=0,002), physical (p<0,001), lack of anxiety (p=0,022) and social self-concept dimensions. A positive correlation (p=0,004) was found between muscular strength and global self-concept, showing significant differences in favor of males in all the dimensions analyzed and the global self-concept. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that muscular strength is a distinctive element in the schoolchildren self-concept. Further longitudinal studies are needed to analyze the complex relationship between self-concept and physical fitness, considering the results emerged from this study.