Comparison of Swiss and U.S. Students' Fitness, Motivation and Self-Concept

Background/Purpose: Physical activity is essential for both health outcomes and academic learning improvement. Engagement in physical activities among children is likely influenced by the individual’s aerobic fitness, overall physical fitness, and motor competence. In addition, physical self-concept and motivation are predictors of physical activity participation throughout the lifespan. The purpose of this study was to compare the physical fitness, motivation, and self-concept of Swiss and American students in physical education (PE). 

Method: Participants included 418 students (ages 12-14 years) from middle schools in Switzerland (n=301) and the US (n=117). Fitnessgram physical fitness measures included aerobic capacity (PACER), muscular endurance (curl-ups), muscular strength (push-ups), flexibility (back-saver sit-and-reach), and body composition (BMI). Questionnaires included the Motivation in Physical Activity Measure-Revised (MPAM-R) and the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire-Short Form (PDSQ-S). Data were collected during two successive school years (2012-2013, 2013-2014), in the classes of six Swiss student-teachers and two American student-teachers. Three 2 x 2 (country x gender) MANOVA procedures to test statistical differences between groups were conducted with follow-up univariate ANOVA procedures for post-hoc analyses that included a Bonferroni Correction to adjust the alpha level (α = .01) and prevent committing type I errors. 

Analysis/Results: Results showed that there were significant main effects for country F (5,681) = 10.648, Wilkes Lambda = .927, p < .001 and follow-up univariate ANOVA’s determined the Swiss students had significantly higher PACER scores (45.76) than did students in the US (36.61); however, curl-ups scores for the US students (57.69) were greater than Swiss students (50.35). There were significant main effects for country F (5,763) = 19.413, Wilkes Lambda = .887, p < .001 for the motivation variables as well. Follow-up univariate ANOVA’s determined there were significantly higher scores for US students on the enjoyment, competence, fitness, and social subscales. Results for the self-concept variables revealed a significant main effect for country F (6,732) = 61.072, Wilkes Lambda = .666, p< .001. Students from the US had significantly higher perceptions of endurance, strength, flexibility, and physical satisfaction as compared to the Swiss students who had higher scores for body fat and appearance. Gender differences will also be discussed. 

Conclusions: PE teachers in Switzerland should not be too exigent on students’ physical condition level and increase enjoyment and competence in sport and exercise practice. PE teachers in the US should help students to improve their cardiorespiratory endurance and be vigilant on negative appearance remarks.