Building respect, fairness, and collaboration through physical education: A primary school intervention

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a primary school intervention designed to foster fair-play, respect, and inclusion through physical education. Grounded in social learning theory and structural-developmental teaching, the program aimed to enhance students’ moral decision-making, social beha...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gabriele Russo, Valentina Paganelli, Andrea Ceciliani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825005001
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Summary:This study evaluates the effectiveness of a primary school intervention designed to foster fair-play, respect, and inclusion through physical education. Grounded in social learning theory and structural-developmental teaching, the program aimed to enhance students’ moral decision-making, social behavior, and physical activity levels. Sixty-four students (aged 9–10 years) participated in the seven-month intervention, which integrated classroom lessons and physical activities. Mixed-methods data collection included validated questionnaires (PAQ-C, FPPEQ, AMDM-Q, RSEQ, PSE) and interviews with students and teachers. Findings revealed significant increases in physical activity levels, particularly in non-active students, alongside enhanced respect, collaboration, and self-esteem. Teachers noted improvements in emotional regulation, self-regulation, and rule adherence. Despite occasional inappropriate behaviors, this study highlights the potential of combining physical education with social-emotional learning strategies to support psychosocial development in primary school children. These results underscore the importance of integrating such programs into educational curricula.
ISSN:0001-6918