Background/Purpose: Participation rates in school physical education decrease significantly during the first year of high school. There appear to be no gender differences in participation drop-off. An assessment of adolescents' motor skill performance may provide information regarding students' reasons for lack of participation in physical education. This study investigated the relationships between level of motor skill competence in adolescents and decision not to participate in physical education classes.
Method: Semi-structured interviews and motor skills tests were conducted with teenagers who were not participating in physical education classes in two high schools from different districts in the San Francisco Bay Area. One of the selected districts has a Master Plan for Physical Education, while the other district does not. Data were analyzed using quantitative (motor skills tests) and qualitative methods (open-ended interview questions) and to develop correlations between the two data sets.
Analysis/Results: The cross-sectional analysis shows correlations between reasons for non-participation in physical education (e.g. including lack of motivation, fear of failure) and motor skill level. Reasons for non-participation in physical education differ between the two districts.
Conclusions: This investigation determined that adolescents with lower motor skill competence (and related lack of motivation and fear of failure) are more likely to not participate in physical education classes.