Do Physical Fitness and Executive Function Mediate the Relationship between Physical Activity and Academic Achievement? An Examination Using Structural Equation Modelling
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Study Design and Recruitment
2.2. Measures
2.3. Self-Reported PA
2.4. Self-Reported Physical Fitness
2.5. Executive Function
2.6. Academic Achievement
2.7. Potential Cofounders
2.8. Statistical Analyses
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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All | Girls | Boys | Sex Comparison | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Characteristics | n | %/M ± SD | n | %/M ± SD | n | %/M ± SD | Statistic | p-Value |
Sex | ||||||||
Female | 56 | 43 | ||||||
Male | 74 | 57 | ||||||
Age (years) | 130 | 10.69 ± 0.96 | 56 | 10.70 ± 0.95 | 74 | 10.69 ± 0.98 | t = 0.04 | 0.967 |
School grade | χ2 = 0.84 | 0.657 | ||||||
Grade 4 | 51 | 39 | 24 | 43 | 27 | 36 | ||
Grade 5 | 40 | 31 | 15 | 27 | 25 | 34 | ||
Grade 6 | 39 | 30 | 17 | 30 | 22 | 30 | ||
Parental education | χ2 = 0.36 | 0.834 | ||||||
No university | 56 | 43 | 23 | 41 | 33 | 45 | ||
University level (one parent) | 45 | 35 | 21 | 38 | 24 | 32 | ||
University level (both parents) | 29 | 22 | 12 | 21 | 17 | 23 | ||
Body Mass Index (kg/m2) | 130 | 17.90 ± 2.85 | 56 | 17.66 ± 2.88 | 74 | 18.08 ± 2.83 | t = −0.81 | 0.417 |
Self-reported physical activity (score range 1–5) | 122 | 2.80 ± 0.57 | 53 | 2.79 ± 0.61 | 69 | 2.82 ± 0.55 | t = −0.30 | 0.768 |
Self-reported physical fitness (score range 1–5) | ||||||||
IFIS 1. Overall fitness | 130 | 3.90 ± 0.80 | 56 | 3.80 ± 0.82 | 74 | 3.97 ± 0.78 | t = −1.20 | 0.235 |
IFIS 2. Cardiorespiratory fitness | 130 | 3.77 ± 0.87 | 56 | 3.68 ± 0.83 | 74 | 3.84 ± 0.89 | t = −1.05 | 0.297 |
IFIS 3. Muscular fitness | 130 | 3.81 ± 0.87 | 56 | 3.77 ± 0.95 | 74 | 3.84 ± 0.81 | t = −0.44 | 0.660 |
IFIS 4. Speed–agility | 130 | 3.89 ± 0.82 | 56 | 3.82 ± 0.81 | 74 | 3.95 ± 0.83 | t = −0.86 | 0.392 |
IFIS 5. Flexibility | 130 | 3.28 ± 1.03 | 56 | 3.21 ± 1.09 | 74 | 3.34 ± 0.98 | t = −0.67 | 0.506 |
Executive function | ||||||||
Trail Making Test (s) | ||||||||
1. Visual scanning | 130 | 69.08 ± 7.69 | 56 | 69.29 ± 9.07 | 74 | 68.93 ± 6.51 | t = 0.25 | 0.805 |
2. Number sequencing | 130 | 60.11 ± 8.63 | 56 | 61.48 ± 9.27 | 74 | 59.07 ± 8.01 | t = 1.56 | 0.122 |
3. Letter sequencing | 130 | 68.90 ± 6.42 | 56 | 69.95 ± 7.01 | 74 | 68.11 ± 5.85 | t = 1.59 | 0.115 |
4. Number-letter switching | 130 | 140.58 ± 39.91 | 56 | 147.05 ± 45.40 | 74 | 135.68 ± 34.72 | t = 1.56 | 0.122 |
5. Motor speed | 130 | 63.02 ± 9.14 | 56 | 64.66 ± 9.59 | 74 | 61.77 ± 8.64 | t = 1.77 | 0.079 |
Interference score (i.e., 4 minus 2) | 130 | 80.47 ± 36.52 | 56 | 85.57 ± 40.27 | 74 | 76.61 ± 33.16 | t = 1.35 | 0.179 |
Academic performance (score range 0–10) | ||||||||
Maths | 130 | 6.54 ± 1.41 | 56 | 6.27 ± 1.48 | 74 | 6.74 ± 1.32 | t = –1.92 | 0.057 |
Spanish Language | 130 | 7.04 ± 1.16 | 56 | 6.86 ± 1.17 | 74 | 7.18 ± 1.15 | t = 1.42 | 0.167 |
Catalan Language | 130 | 7.17 ± 1.24 | 56 | 7.00 ± 1.33 | 74 | 7.30 ± 1.16 | t = 1.43 | 0.167 |
PE | 130 | 8.12 ± 1.03 | 56 | 8.13 ± 0.97 | 74 | 8.12 ± 1.07 | t = 1.44 | 0.167 |
GPA | 130 | 7.22 ± 0.92 | 56 | 7.06 ± 0.95 | 74 | 7.33 ± 0.89 | t = 1.45 | 0.167 |
Variables | β | p-Value | 95% CI | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Direct Associations | ||||
Physical fitness | ||||
Physical activity | 0.46 | <0.001 | 0.29 | 0.64 |
Executive functiona | ||||
Physical activity | 0.00 | 0.991 | –0.26 | 0.27 |
Physical fitness | 0.28 | 0.020 | 0.04 | 0.52 |
Academic achievement | ||||
Physical activity | 0.12 | 0.350 | –0.13 | 0.37 |
Physical fitness | –0.10 | 0.395 | –0.34 | 0.13 |
Executive function | 0.46 | <0.001 | 0.28 | 0.65 |
Indirect associations b | ||||
Physical activity → Fitness → Executive function | 0.13 | - | 0.03 | 0.32 |
Fitness → Executive function → Academic achievement | 0.13 | - | 0.02 | 0.31 |
Physical activity → Fitness → Executive function → Academic achievement | 0.01 | - | –0.18 | 0.17 |
Model | Method | Obs. | χ2 (p-Value) | RMSEA [90% CI] | AIC | BIC | CFI | TLI | CD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Final Model | MLMV | 130 | 47.01 (0.042) | 0.060 [0.012, 0.095] | 4531.90 | 4660.94 | 0.968 | 0.946 | 0.785 |
ML | 122 | 46.65 (0.046) | 0.062 [0.009, 0.098] | 4260.20 | 4372.36 | 0.967 | 0.944 | 0.792 | |
Model A | MLMV | 130 | 52.89 (0.068) | 0.053 [0.000, 0.086] | 4454.47 | 4563.43 | 0.970 | 0.957 | 0.740 |
ML | 122 | 50.83 (0.097) | 0.050 [0.000, 0.085] | 4204.03 | 4310.58 | 0.972 | 0.961 | 0.740 | |
Model B | MLMV | 130 | 92.34 (0.022) | 0.054 [0.022, 0.080] | 5973.38 | 6168.37 | 0.947 | 0.922 | 0.790 |
ML | 122 | 93.01 (0.019) | 0.057 [0.024, 0.083] | 5606.99 | 5758.41 | 0.943 | 0.915 | 0.797 |
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Muntaner-Mas, A.; Mazzoli, E.; Abbott, G.; Mavilidi, M.F.; Galmes-Panades, A.M. Do Physical Fitness and Executive Function Mediate the Relationship between Physical Activity and Academic Achievement? An Examination Using Structural Equation Modelling. Children 2022, 9, 823. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9060823
Muntaner-Mas A, Mazzoli E, Abbott G, Mavilidi MF, Galmes-Panades AM. Do Physical Fitness and Executive Function Mediate the Relationship between Physical Activity and Academic Achievement? An Examination Using Structural Equation Modelling. Children. 2022; 9(6):823. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9060823
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuntaner-Mas, Adrià, Emiliano Mazzoli, Gavin Abbott, Myrto F. Mavilidi, and Aina M. Galmes-Panades. 2022. "Do Physical Fitness and Executive Function Mediate the Relationship between Physical Activity and Academic Achievement? An Examination Using Structural Equation Modelling" Children 9, no. 6: 823. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9060823