Regular participation in physical activity (PA) is linked to a reduced risk of obesity and positive cognitive and emotional benefits. Most school PA initiatives are led by outside programmers or teachers who rarely incorporate students in the decision making and implementation processes. Youth empowerment theory posits that including student leaders in health interventions could produce positive outcomes including improved leadership capabilities. Previous research on youth empowerment programs has primarily targeted adolescents, but little is known about the impact of elementary empowerment programs. Some outcomes, based on adolescent programs, may relate to situation specific self-confidence, perceived control, problem solving, decision making, and community engagement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine how changes in empowerment-related constructs predict student leadership qualities over the course of a school health initiative.
Method:
Twenty Midwestern elementary schools formed student-led teams focused on improving the school health environment and student health behaviors. Teams identified potential school health improvements in the fall and implemented initiatives throughout the year. Students completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of the year (n=130, 41% male) with validated scales assessing global self-concept, school attachment, and PA related social responsibility. An additional scale measuring student leadership qualities was also included.
Analysis/Results:
Data were screened for missing values, outliers, and normality. Change scores were calculated. Using a hierarchical multiple regression, change scores for school attachment, PA social responsibility, and global self-concept were used to predict post scores in student leadership, while controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and pre student leadership scores. The model was statistically significant, F(7, 122) = 14.703, p<.001, and accounted for approximately 42.6% of variance. Student leadership pre scores (β = .56; p <.001; D Adj. R2 = .25 ) was significant, while changes in school attachment (β = .29; p <.001) and PA social responsibility (β = .17; p < .05) were the strongest predictors of post student leadership scores, with an additional D Adj. R2 = .19.
Conclusions:
Guided by youth empowerment theory, this study adds understanding to predictors of student leadership qualities for elementary students involved in a school health initiative. Providing students with empowering opportunities that increase connections to schools and enhance social responsibility appear to maximize student leadership qualities. Future research should further identify psychological and behavioral outcomes experienced by elementary students who are given opportunities to lead, as well as types of health initiatives that are developed and implemented by students.