Hierarchical clustering of the pre-exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries: an observational study using PISA program data
IntroductionThe relationship between physical activity and anxiety among students has been extensively studied, with research highlighting the protective effects of physical activity on mental well-being.MethodsThis article synthesizes existing literature on the topic and presents a novel analysis o...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
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| author | Samuel Encarnação Samuel Encarnação Samuel Encarnação José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira Pedro Forte Pedro Forte Pedro Forte Luciano Bernardes Leite Luciano Bernardes Leite Andrew Sortwell Andrew Sortwell Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Ricardo Ferraz Ricardo Ferraz Pedro Afonso Pedro Afonso Paula Vaz Paula Vaz António Miguel Monteiro António Miguel Monteiro |
| author_facet | Samuel Encarnação Samuel Encarnação Samuel Encarnação José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira Pedro Forte Pedro Forte Pedro Forte Luciano Bernardes Leite Luciano Bernardes Leite Andrew Sortwell Andrew Sortwell Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Ricardo Ferraz Ricardo Ferraz Pedro Afonso Pedro Afonso Paula Vaz Paula Vaz António Miguel Monteiro António Miguel Monteiro |
| author_sort | Samuel Encarnação |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe relationship between physical activity and anxiety among students has been extensively studied, with research highlighting the protective effects of physical activity on mental well-being.MethodsThis article synthesizes existing literature on the topic and presents a novel analysis of pre-exam anxiety rates among physically inactive high school students from 56 countries. Using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, a hierarchical clustering method was applied to identify four clusters based on stratified country groups by the students' pre-exam anxiety levels.ResultsThe results indicated five clusters for low physically active students (three with higher anxiety rates and two with lower levels of the condition) and four clusters for the low physically active individuals (two for higher anxiety rates and two for lower levels). Furthermore, the hierarchical model worked with good precision in the clustering task. In conclusion, considering the low physically active students, Brazil (82%) and the Dominican Republic (81%) recorded the highest pre-exam anxiety levels, while the Czech Republic (35%) had the lowest. Among the physically active students, Malaysia (82%), Brazil (81%), and Costa Rica (81%) recorded the highest anxiety levels, whereas again, the Czech Republic (35%) had the lowest.DiscussionThese findings emphasize that although physical activity generally relates to reduced anxiety, this association varies across cultural and educational contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8c207bb43dca41e08b0b714689caeb6e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj-art-8c207bb43dca41e08b0b714689caeb6e2025-08-20T03:30:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672025-07-01710.3389/fspor.2025.15099591509959Hierarchical clustering of the pre-exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries: an observational study using PISA program dataSamuel Encarnação0Samuel Encarnação1Samuel Encarnação2José Eduardo Teixeira3José Eduardo Teixeira4José Eduardo Teixeira5José Eduardo Teixeira6José Eduardo Teixeira7José Eduardo Teixeira8Pedro Forte9Pedro Forte10Pedro Forte11Luciano Bernardes Leite12Luciano Bernardes Leite13Andrew Sortwell14Andrew Sortwell15Luís Branquinho16Luís Branquinho17Luís Branquinho18Luís Branquinho19Ricardo Ferraz20Ricardo Ferraz21Pedro Afonso22Pedro Afonso23Paula Vaz24Paula Vaz25António Miguel Monteiro26António Miguel Monteiro27Department of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, PortugalDepartment of Physical Education, Sport and Human Movement, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, Madrid, SpainResearch Centre for Active Living and Wellbeing (Livewell), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, PortugalResearch Centre for Active Living and Wellbeing (Livewell), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, PortugalDepartment of Sports Sciences, Polytechnic of Guarda, Guarda, PortugalDepartment of Sports Sciences, Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave, Guimarães, PortugalSPRINT—Sport Physical Activity and Health Research & Innovation Center, Guarda, PortugalResearch Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Covilhã, PortugalCI-ISCE, Instituto Superior de Ciências Educativas do Douro (ISCE Douro), Penafiel, PortugalResearch Centre for Active Living and Wellbeing (Livewell), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, PortugalCI-ISCE, Instituto Superior de Ciências Educativas do Douro (ISCE Douro), Penafiel, PortugalDepartment of Sports Sciences, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, PortugalDepartment of Sports Sciences, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal0Department of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, BrazilResearch Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Covilhã, Portugal1School of Health Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaResearch Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Covilhã, PortugalCI-ISCE, Instituto Superior de Ciências Educativas do Douro (ISCE Douro), Penafiel, Portugal2Biosciences Higher School of Elvas, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Portalegre, Portugal;3Life Quality Research Centre (CIEQV), Portalegre, PortugalResearch Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Covilhã, Portugal4Department of Sports Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal2Biosciences Higher School of Elvas, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Portalegre, Portugal;5Department of Sports Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, PortugalDepartment of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal6Centro de Investigação em Educação Básica (CIEB), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, PortugalResearch Centre for Active Living and Wellbeing (Livewell), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, PortugalDepartment of Sports Sciences, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, PortugalIntroductionThe relationship between physical activity and anxiety among students has been extensively studied, with research highlighting the protective effects of physical activity on mental well-being.MethodsThis article synthesizes existing literature on the topic and presents a novel analysis of pre-exam anxiety rates among physically inactive high school students from 56 countries. Using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, a hierarchical clustering method was applied to identify four clusters based on stratified country groups by the students' pre-exam anxiety levels.ResultsThe results indicated five clusters for low physically active students (three with higher anxiety rates and two with lower levels of the condition) and four clusters for the low physically active individuals (two for higher anxiety rates and two for lower levels). Furthermore, the hierarchical model worked with good precision in the clustering task. In conclusion, considering the low physically active students, Brazil (82%) and the Dominican Republic (81%) recorded the highest pre-exam anxiety levels, while the Czech Republic (35%) had the lowest. Among the physically active students, Malaysia (82%), Brazil (81%), and Costa Rica (81%) recorded the highest anxiety levels, whereas again, the Czech Republic (35%) had the lowest.DiscussionThese findings emphasize that although physical activity generally relates to reduced anxiety, this association varies across cultural and educational contexts.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1509959/fullanxiousnessunsupervised machine learningteenshealthy lifestylesocial protection |
| spellingShingle | Samuel Encarnação Samuel Encarnação Samuel Encarnação José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira José Eduardo Teixeira Pedro Forte Pedro Forte Pedro Forte Luciano Bernardes Leite Luciano Bernardes Leite Andrew Sortwell Andrew Sortwell Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Luís Branquinho Ricardo Ferraz Ricardo Ferraz Pedro Afonso Pedro Afonso Paula Vaz Paula Vaz António Miguel Monteiro António Miguel Monteiro Hierarchical clustering of the pre-exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries: an observational study using PISA program data Frontiers in Sports and Active Living anxiousness unsupervised machine learning teens healthy lifestyle social protection |
| title | Hierarchical clustering of the pre-exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries: an observational study using PISA program data |
| title_full | Hierarchical clustering of the pre-exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries: an observational study using PISA program data |
| title_fullStr | Hierarchical clustering of the pre-exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries: an observational study using PISA program data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hierarchical clustering of the pre-exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries: an observational study using PISA program data |
| title_short | Hierarchical clustering of the pre-exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries: an observational study using PISA program data |
| title_sort | hierarchical clustering of the pre exam anxiety levels in physically inactive and active adolescent students from 56 countries an observational study using pisa program data |
| topic | anxiousness unsupervised machine learning teens healthy lifestyle social protection |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1509959/full |
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