The Differences in Middle School Children's Physical Activity Level: From the Perspective of Field Dependence-Independence

Literature constantly indicates that field dependence-independence (FDI) as measured by Rod-and-Frame Test (RFT) is correlated with sport ability and potential (Raviv & Nabel, 1990; Brady, 1995) since RFT involves the use of body information (Brady, 1995). Given this relationship, FDI was expected to have the similar correlation with individual°¦s physical activity (PA) level. No research, however, is available in this aspect. The purpose of the study was to examine if FDI as measured by RFT is related to PA levels of middle school children. The sample was 138 middle school students from a town in the Southeast. The Self-Administered Physical Activity Checklist (SAPAC), a valid instrument (Sallis et al., 1996), was used to determine participants°¦ PA levels. Potable RFT (Oltman, 1968), which has been used in many studies involving FDI and sport ability, was employed to examine participants°¦ FDI status. Top one-third scorers (n=46, 22 girls and 24 boys) on RFT were classified as field-dependent (FD) individuals, and bottom one-third scorers (n=46, 22 boys and 24 girls) as field-independent (FI) individuals. The results of two-way (gender „e FDI status) MANOVA revealed that FI children reported significantly higher PA levels of the previous day than FD children did in each of six PA variables: (a) minutes of PA (M=125.30 for FI children and 63.16 for FD children, F(1,88)=12.25, p ƒ¬ .001), (b) minutes of moderate and vigorous (MV) PA (96.98 vs. 37.93, F(1,88)=14.74, p ƒ¬ .001), (c) MET score (11.67 vs. 5.00, F(1,88)=15.02, p ƒ¬ .001), (d) MVPA MET score (10.07 vs. 3.54, F(1,88)=16.42, p ƒ¬ .001), (e) weighted MET score (12.38 vs. 5.28, F(1,88)=15.03, p ƒ¬ .001), and (f) weighted MVPA MET score (10.63 vs. 3.70, F(1,88)=16.37, p ƒ¬ .001). The results suggest that FI children, as measured by RFT, may have higher ability or tendency to use body information, which contributes to their higher competence and confidence in participating in sport and PA. This, in turn, could make FI children to be more physically active than are FD children. The low PA level of FD children merits public attention, and how to enhance FD children°¦s sport ability, and ultimately, their daily PA level, is a challenging task for our physical educators.