The Contribution of the Psychomotrical Activities Carried out in the School after School System to the Psychic, Emotional and Social Development Plan of 9 - 10 Year Old Children ()
1. Introduction
In our research approach, we considered several premises in the context of the topic addressed. Thus, W.H.O. specifies that the issue of health must be addressed from childhood, both from an emotional point of view and from the point of view of developing some social skills necessary for life. The risk factor can be the mental health of parents, residence in poor areas, low incomes, lack of access to education and the necessary medical care in chidhood. In addition, parents’ lack of interest in educating their children can lead to anxiety, behavioral problems, attention and learning deficits with negative effects on future adults. Also, poverty has been shown to have adverse effects on cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development ( (Hodgkinson, Godoy, Beers, & Lewin, 2017) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5192088/). Humans’ higher psychological functions, their language and thinking, have to be the core of human psychology (Marcinkowski & Rehring, 1995) . Knowing the role of sport in maintaining health and the fact that studies in recent years show that the level of physical activity is decreasing among young people, the same organization developed a “Global Action Plan on Physical Activity and Health, 2018-2030” which aims for a 15% reduction in global physical inactivity (Pop & Grosu, 2022) . U.N.I.C.E.F. underlines the fact that between 10% - 20% of children worldwide suffer from some kind of mental disorder and these are largely due to insufficient physical exercise (Baena-Morales, Ferriz-Valero, & Garcia-Taibo, 2022: p. 1591) . One of the reasons is the abundance of technology in recent years. There are studies that have evaluated the symptoms of nomophobia and psychological aspects such as anxiety, insomnia or addiction to certain foods. (Almarzooqi, Alhaj, Alrasheed, Helmy, Trabelsi, Ebrahim, Hattab, Jahrami, & Saad, 2022) . The sedentary behavior adopted by children and especially by adolescents at the expense of psychomotor activities is associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms at the age of 18 (Gonzales-Serrano, Gonzales-Garcia, Gomez-Tafalla, Roman, Garcia-Pascual, & Calabuig, 2022) . EU member states believe that “education is an absolute priority and a key agent in ensuring social cohesion” (Tudor, 2005) . In the cycle of primary education, the foundations for the development of human personality are laid. It is also important for children to be part of an environment concerned with intelligence and development, which afterward differentiates between people and explains different behavioral aspects (Clipa, Mihalache, & Serdenciuc, 2016) . It is known that all sports activities improve the physical level and mental health, but at the same time, they also have an impact on social ties, relationships and social attitudes (Czupich, 2020: p. 2875) . Bidzan-Bluma, I., Lipowaska, M., state that “children who do not exercise will never fully develop their genetic potential in terms of motor skills” (Bidzan-Bluma & Lipowaska, 2018) . Acquiring movement skills is important because certain motor difficulties are a risk factor for good psychosocial and behavioral functioning (Xu, Xu, Zhou, & Xie, 2022) . For an individual to succeed in life, he must adopt an attitude suitable to the society he lives in, and these attitudes have their roots in childhood (Epuran, 2011: p. 87) . The preparation of the individual for his further integration into society begins at an early age (Schmidt, 2012: p. 27) . If an attachment to a certain activity is created in childhood, this state can be perpetuated in adolescence, the individual’s intention and desire being to interact with similar activities (Lim, Min, & Kim, 2022) . General well-being is adapted to the interaction of physiological, psychological and social factors that have a cause- and-effect relationship with health (Ardelean, Andrei, Miuta, Boros-Balint, Deak, Molnar, Berki, Gyori, Geanta, Dehelean, & Borcan, 2022) . At the age of 9-10, children have a series of personal development opportunities (Richardson, 2008: p. 16) which must be exploited including through sports, whose valences in terms of mental, social and emotional development have been demonstrated and which contribute to the subsequent formation of an adaptable adult. The saying “sport builds character” is true, but building positive character doesn’t happen by accident. Values such as respect, honesty, teamwork, emotional regulation or perseverance, are life skills but can be practiced and improved through any sport, whether team or individual (Corliss et al., 2022) . It is important to take into account the development of emotional intelligence which is characterized by 4 skills (the ability to perceive emotions, evaluate them, regulate emotions and perceive certain feelings), and an athlete who has such intelligence is more likely to use psychological skills and techniques in both training and competition (Mitić, Nedeljković, Takšić, Sporiš, Stojiljković, & Milčić, 2020) .
The emotional life of the school-age child gradually acquires greater stability and balance, as they become more persistent, more orderly and more planned (Șchiopu & Varză, 1997: p. 168-169) . Being the period of intense mental development, preschool age makes playing the main form of activity, helping to develop the child’s personality, simultaneously stimulating their socialization skills and bringing them satisfaction and fun (Epuran, 2013: p. 105) . It is the age when children begin to show independence and critical spirit. Motivation has an important role, the intrinsic one being based on the individual’s desire to engage in activities that rely upon the satisfaction of basic needs while the extrinsic motivation follows the positive consequences that a certain activity has in the longer term, in our case referring to their desire to be healthy, to look good and to be successfully integrated and valued in society (Wikman, Elsborg, Nielsen, Seidelin, Nyberg, Bangsbo, Hellsten, & Elbe, 2018) . “People who regulate their motivation autonomously show more perseverance, commitment, effort and pleasure in the activities they carry out (Cid, Pires, Borrego, Duarte-Mendes, Teixeira, Moutão, & Monteiro, 2019) .” Much evidence shows that, in addition to teachers, coaches or peer groups, it is parents who have an important role in motivating children regarding motor activities (Kolayiş, Sarı, & Çelik, 2017) . Parents who initiated among children a climate in which success is associated more with pleasure than with performance, were able to increase the level of intrinsic motivation and decrease their anxiety level (Sorensen, Roberts, Farholm, 2021) . Also in childhood, children must be instilled with optimism and confidence in their own strength, “a person who believes in a possible success, continues the effort (Carver & Scheider, 2014) ”. There are studies that reported gender differences saying that boys are more active than girls at the age of 9 - 11 (Jerina, Pišot, & Volmut, 2018) but we believe that all children should be integrated into psychomotor activities and motivated equally.
Educational institutions suggest that schools must be a space where health is promoted, protected and cultivated, contributing to the well-being and development of students’ socio-emotional and cognitive skills (Júnio da Silva, Barbosa, Barbosa Filho, & de Farias Júnior, 2022) . To promote academic success and student well-being, the school is responsible for children’s formal education, while the family is responsible for extracurricular education (Paccaud et al., 2021) . The school-after-school programs (Ș.D.Ș.), often meet parents who want to have qualified support for their children to increase school performance, personal development and cultivate talents (MEN, 2009) , this system is beneficial for both children and parents. In Romania, the School after School system works and is one of the most requested.
“Relying primarily on biological behavior, human motor action is constituted as a social action, mediated by techniques and means producing cultural values (Dragnea & Bota, 1999) .” Thus, motor activity becomes “from a socialized activity, a socializing one, but also cultural or enlightening” (Neagu, 2010) .
Psycho-motor activities thought out, structured and inserted into a school after school program (Ș.D.Ș.), can contribute essentially to the start that children have in life. Psychomotor activities are varied both in content and in form, they can take place at the most diverse ages and are characterized by the omnipresence of the formative function (Neagu, 2010) .
A series of research highlights the fact that “insufficient physical activity has been identified as a potential risk factor for physical and mental health” (Pedišić, Dumuid, & Olds, 2017) . There are studies that prove that connections are made between physical and mental exercise and that a constantly practiced physical activity seems to influence the cognitive performance even of children with mental retardation (D’Isanto & Di Tore, 2016) . Moreover, the influence that physical activity has on the psyche of healthy growing and developing children is greater and more significant in the formation of tomorrow’s adult. Positive childhood experiences, such as good family relationships, belonging to a group, integration in school or a sports team, can prevent adolescents from developing depression and anxiety (Kienngam, Maneeton, Maneeton, Pojanapotha, Manomaivibul, Kawilapat, & Damrongpanit, 2022) . The particularity of psychomotor activities carried out constantly and systematically develops thinking, memory, attention and the spirit of observation. The concept of emotional learning appeared in the early 1990s in the USA and refers to the process of acquiring basic skills, recognizing and managing emotions, setting and achieving positive goals, feeling and showing empathy for others, making responsible decisions and better managing various interpersonal situations (Li, Ma, Lu, & Hesketh, 2022) , all these positive attributes also being developed through sport.
Sports in general “can be a means of great value because it is often seen as a facilitator of pleasure and fun in both girls and boys” (Macias, Robles, & Fuentes-Guarra, 2021) , the physical education teacher being put in front of a difficult challenge to make the children enjoy sports. At the age in question (9 - 10 years old), the main means used by teachers in the educational act and accepted by children, is the game, it being their main way to communicate, experience and learn (Cohen, 2012) . Also, the foundations of team sports should be laid from this age, as they seem to be associated with better psychological outcomes due to their “social nature” (Eime, Young, Harvey, Charity, & Payne, 2013) , as they contribute to increasing the degree of cooperation within the group. As stated by Shernoff, D. J., the quality of experiences gained in extracurricular activities or after school may be a more important factor than their quantity (Shernoff, 2010) . Such activities give children opportunities to interact with teachers and peers in different activities that are not part of the school program but that are of interest to children and can also support the development of self-regulation and control of their own impulses (Vandell, Simpkins, & Liu, 2020) . I considered that this methodical approach to the psycho-motor activities carried out in the School after School system can contribute to the psychological, socio-affective and behavioral development of children and can increase the degree of cohesion within the group. The purpose of the research is the optimal fruiting of the personal development windows of 9 - 10 years old children in terms of mental and socio-emotional, through the program of motor activities carried out in the school after school system. The main objectives are the development and experimentation of the program of specific motric activities used and the establishment of evaluation method of the psycho-social-affective level (Mihețiu & Mihăilescu, 2022) . The 36 research subjects are 9 - 10 years old children from two schools in Arad city. All children constantly participate in school after school program.
2. Materials and Methods
To measure children’s distributed attention capacity, we used the Prague Test. Applying the “Psychosocial Behavior” test allowed us to identify how children are perceived by their group mates during sports activities. We specify the fact that, since the experimental group was made up of students from two different schools, although the program of activities carried out in the School after School system was the same for the entire experimental group, in the case of the “Psychosocial Behavior” test, its administration was done separately by each school. We wanted to highlight the level of interpersonal relationships during physical education classes, and this is only possible within classes/groups that have common activities, with children evaluating each other. The adapted social and behavioral skills questionnaire was the tool based on which we outlined the psycho-social and behavioral profile of each child, to capture their way of behaving and relating within the family or peer group. In order to determine how much time the children spend practicing motor activities, we developed the Diary Sheet entitled “How much time did I move today?” This was systematically completed for a month.
The development of an observation protocol for the subjects of the experimental group and its completion during our research, allowed us to form an opinion about the child’s attitude towards work requirements, his ability to adapt, the manner of reporting to activities and the ability of group integration, collaboration and communication. The interpretation of the observations was made by giving a score from 1 - 5, as follows: 1 point—very weak participation/to a very small extent; 2 points—weak participation/to a small extent; 3 points—average participation/to an average extent; 4 points—good participation/to a good extent; 5 points—very good participation/to a very good extent.
Study participants
36 3rd and 4th grade students (9 - 10 years old) were involved in our research, respectively a control group (12 subjects) and an experimental group (24 subjects). The results of the tests done at the beginning of the research showed us that there are no significant differences between the subjects of the two groups (Table 1, Table 3 & Table 4). The subjects of the experimental group participated in the School after School program, in which psychomotor activities took place 3 times/week for which the didactic strategy used was designed in complementarity with physical education activities realized in school in achieving the subject’s matter objectives, to which we added a general objective and three specific ones, to complement the others, emphasizing the aspects targeted in the research.
The proposed general objective was the following: the integration of psycho-motor acquisitions acquired within the activities provided in the School after School program in specific actions that outline a proactive socio-affective behavior. Through the psycho-motor activities included, through the games and physical skills tracks chosen, the aim was to increase the degree of collaboration and cooperation between the children, with them frequently interacting, helping and encouraging each other. It was insisted on increasing the degree of confidence in one’s own forces but also on proactive behavior in the spirit of fair play.
Statistical Analyses
The quantitative analysis was carried out by determining the statistical indicators: the arithmetic mean (MA), the standard deviation (SD) and the coefficient of variation (CV) for the results recorded in the tests and the applied evaluation samples and the Student t-Test (TT), a significance inducer of differences, for comparing two or more values measured on the same subjects. In the case of the present research, this test was applied to compare the results of the initial and final research between the two groups and to compare the differences between the groups.
3. Results and Discussion
1) The analysis of the results of the Prague Test was carried out in the light of the value of the statistical indicators presented in Table 1. They highlight the level of distributive attention capacity.
At the beginning of the research, the t value (−1.076) at a p = 0.144 > 0.05, indicates an insignificant difference between the two groups. The score obtained by the subjects of the experimental group at the initial test is 41.96 points, and the one obtained at the final test was improved (44.71 points), their progress expressed in points being 2.75. And for the control group, we recorded an increase in the number of points between the two tests, from 44.33 points-T.I. at 45.92 pct.-T.F., but not as obvious as for those in the experimental group (their progress being only 1.59 pct.). Even if the difference in the final results between the two groups is not significant (t = 0.525, p > 0.05), the centile related to the score obtained by the subjects of the two groups in T.F. shows us a better progress of the subjects of the experimental group, from which we deduce that they have improved their attention capacity. The distribution of points in the 4 stages of testing highlights a common aspect of the two groups, namely the fact that after the first two stages, i.e. after 10 minutes of testing, the children’s distributive attention and concentration decreases slightly. In both cases, the value of the standard deviation is relatively small, and the coefficient of variation shows us two homogeneous groups.
2) The determination of personality traits by applying the Psychosocial Behavior Test was carried out by the statistical processing of the results of each subject of the two groups, recorded in individual files, structured according to the one presented in Table 2, for the subject of the E07 experimental group, established randomly.
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Table 1. The dynamics of the statistical indicators recorded during the research for the Prague Test.
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Table 2. Example of the centralizing sheet of the dynamics of the responses to the Psychosocial Behavior Test, subject E07.
For example, the centralized results in the sheet in Table 2 show us that:
- Subject E10 has a higher level of cooperation (from 2.09 to 3.63) and the degree of communication increased from 1.81 to 2.72;
- Subject E03 has a higher level of cooperation (from 2.09 to 3.18) and the degree of communication increased from 2.09 to 2.72;
- Subject E07 has a higher level of cooperation (from 2.09 to 3.00) and the degree of communication increased from 1.81 to 2.54.
The results of the statistical indicators (Table 3 and Table 4) show us a progress of the subjects of the experimental group in terms of determining the positive traits and a regression in the case of the negative ones.
The results recorded at the end of the research indicate that in 2 of the 4 determinations of positive traits (communicative and popular), the subjects of the experimental group registered a progress between TI and TF. They became more cooperative, more communicative (T.I.—1.90; T.F.—2.36) in the relationship with colleagues and more popular (T.I.—1.74 and T.F.—1.92), in the latter case even having a significant difference between the two tests (p < 0.05). Authority and aggression, considered negative traits, tend to regress in some cases, with significant differences (t = 2.034, p < 0.05 for aggression). And creativity within the group is on the rise. The coefficient of variation shows us a homogeneous group for all determined traits, with the exception of “aggressiveness” where it was registered in T.F. CV the value of 26.8%.
In the case of the control group as well we had different results between T.I. and T.F. (Table 5).
At the subjects of the control group as well it was found in T.F. an increase in the degree of communication (from 1.85 to 2.43), but the subjects are less cooperative. Creativity also shows a downward trend. Instead, authority tends to increase (from 2.25 to 2.61) but without aggressive tendencies. The coefficient of variation indicates a homogeneous group.
Comparing the T.F. results of the two groups, we can state that the 4 traits considered as positive scored higher in the case of the experimental group than in the case of the control group, with significant differences in terms of cooperation
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Table 3. The results of statistical indicators for students from the Mihai Eminescu Arad Secondary School.
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Table 4. The results of statistical indicators for students from Aron Cotruș Arad Secondary School.
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Table 5. The results of statistical indicators for students from the Mihai Eminescu Arad Secondary School, control group.
(p < 0.05), which proved to us that spending extra time in a group and systematic interaction between children leads to better collaboration and increases the level of group cohesion. Also, the authority and aggression of the subjects of the experimental group show a stronger downward trend than in the subjects of the control group (with significant differences in aggression), while the authority of the subjects of the control group is increasing in TF. The coefficient of variation values shows us that both groups are homogeneous.
The results recorded at the end of the experiment confirm the conclusions of other researchers (Neagu, 2010; Corliss et al., 2022; Cohen, 2012) who claim that physical activity has influence on the development of the human psyche and influences behavior within a group.
3) The dynamics of the results of the adapted Social and Behavioral Skills Questionnaire, presented in Table 6.
For all 4 components of social skills, the arithmetic mean of the scores of the experimental group is higher at the final test compared to the initial one. The group is homogeneous in both TI and TF, all values are grouped around the average, the standard deviation value being small. Also, the differences between the two tests are significant, in all 4 cases p < 0.05. In the case of behavioral skills, the average of the scores obtained by the subjects regarding the manifestations of internalizing or hyperactivity is decreasing, but the groups are not homogeneous. The differences between the two tests are significant. The score obtained under the “extroverted” column is the only one that indicates an insignificant difference between the tests.
The statistical indicators show us a difference between the averages obtained in TI and TF for all the determinations made, significant even when we refer to how extroverted and hyperactive the children are (p < 0.05), the latter trait being on a downward slope (TI—2.58, TF—1.67).
Following the analysis of the answers received to the social skills questionnaire, we found no obvious differences in perception and self-evaluation of one’s own social skills between TI and TF. We noticed only a few improvements, in TF noting that the degree of cooperation with others increased slightly from 10.46 to 12.54 and the degree of assertiveness from 11.58 to 13.42. In both cases, the groups are homogeneous in both tests. As for the degree of responsibility that children show, it increased from 13.17 to 17.51, but the homogeneity of the group decreased. Also, in TF the subjects consider themselves more in control of themselves (TI—10.08, TF—12.04). A percentage of 83.33% of children preferring, most of the time, to stay away from arguments and remain calm when involved in a dispute. 76.16% of them do not react nervously when they are scolded
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Table 6. The dynamics of the scores obtained by the subjects of the experimental group, on the social and behavioral skills questionnaire.
by their parents and most of the time they answer nicely when they are asked something. If in TI the average that shows us how introverted the subjects are was 3.08, in TF it dropped to 1.92, the degree of homogeneity of the group is very low. Children’s appreciation for other family members and friends increased (increased number of children who often show appreciation for others from 91.66% to 95.83%). Also, the number of children who offer help to family members remains high (83.33).
Even if the differences obtained between the two tests are not large, we can affirm the fact that the degree of socialization and cooperation within the family or group of friends, but also the children’s ability to control their nervous manifestations, has increased.
From the answers received after completing the questionnaire regarding children’s behavior, we concluded that, if in the final testing 91.66% of them self-assessed as being often angry and sad, at TF this percentage dropped to 66.66%. TF also shows us that all the children state that they do not threaten those around them, not having verbal and physical aggressive behavior. The percentage of those who are easily distracted decreased from 54.16% to 41.66%. The degree of internalization of the children decreased from TI—3.08 to TF—1.92 and at the same time, the way of externalizing does not show violence of any kind.
4) The results recorded through the Sheet-Journal “How long did I move today?” are presented quantitatively, by the value of the statistical indicators, at the end of the research for both groups, in the following table (Table 7).
The subjects of the experimental group, constantly participating in the 3 psychomotor activities of 45 minutes each within the School after School program, automatically benefit from a number of 135 minutes/week more than the subjects of the control group. It is observed that, adding the time of motor activities carried out in school with that of individual sports activities (performance sports, physical activities carried out at the weekend with family or friends), the subjects of the experimental group end up practicing motor activities between 270 and 345 minutes/week. In contrast, the subjects of the control group are involved in motor activities only between 135 and 255 minutes. It is obvious that the difference of 120.7 minutes is due to the sports activities provided in the School after School program. We recorded a standard deviation value of 21.67 in
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Table 7. The time allocated weekly to the practice of motor activities by the research subjects.
the experimental group and 33.44 in the control group, which indicates the fairly high degree of dispersion of the data compared to the average. The coefficient of variation shows a good homogeneity of both groups, and the value of t indicates that the differences are insignificant (t = 1.156; p > 0.05).
4. Conclusion
Our research partially confirms the hypotheses issued by us, according to which the School after School system favors the formation of general and specific skills of formal physical education through the complementarity of motor activities designed and carried out in the timetable of school units that include the School after School program and that the program of psychomotor activities also contributes to mental and emotional development and cultivates proactive social behavior.
The final results analyzed at the Prague Test show us that the number of points accumulated in each of the 4 stages decreases for both groups of children in stages 3 and 4. We therefore conclude that after 10 minutes of testing, the children’s distributive attention and mental concentration decrease slightly. The difference in the final results between the two groups shows greater progress for the experimental group, but not significantly (t = 0.525; p > 0.05).
The results of the “Psychosocial Behavior” test and the dynamics of the children’s responses to the two tests show better group cohesion at the end of the research in the experimental group, the children appreciating their colleagues as more cooperative and communicative. There were significant differences between the groups at the end of the experiment, in favor of the experimental group in terms of cooperation, aggression and creativity (p < 0.05).
The results of the final testing are interesting when applying the Social and Behavioral Skills Questionnaire, which indicates that the degree of socialization and cooperation within the family or group of friends, but also the children’s ability to control their nervousness increased in the experimental group. It also increased the degree of appreciation of those around and decreased the degree of aggression and internalization. The t value allows us to state that we recorded a significant difference between T.I. and T.F. for p < 0.05, in two targeted traits: extroverted and hyperactive.
The results of our research highlight the contribution of practicing motor activities at the age of 9 - 10 years, in a volume of time greater than the one established by the national curriculum, of 2 hours/week, through the School after School program. The contribution is manifested not only in terms of physical, motor and functional development highlighted by many studies and researchers (Epuran, M., Dragnea, A., Bota, A., Ciolcă, C. Balint T., Dobrescu T., Raţă M., Cristuţă A, Balko S., Balko I., Valter L., Jelinek M.), but also in terms of psycho-social, psycho-behavioral and psycho-affective development.
Although our experiment was preceded by a long period of online school, generated by the Sars-Cov 2 pandemic, which only lasted 5 months, the results recorded at the end of the research on the evaluation samples used by us, reveal the fact that there are differences, even if not in all cases statistically significant, between subjects of the experimental group and those of the control group. This allows us to state that the practice of age-appropriate psycho-motor activities, organized in the School after School program, in the form of games, practicing in groups, teams, sports games and thematic games, stimulating cooperation, mutual help in carrying out motor tasks, accepting roles, etc., contributes to the mental, social and emotional development of children and determines the adoption of a proactive behavior, even from this age.
Taking advantage of the fact that at this age children have a series of personal development opportunities, increasing the volume of weekly motor activities contributes to the formation/education of healthy young people, physically, mentally, emotionally balanced and adaptable to future times.
Such age-adapted programs could also be introduced to younger children where the main method used will be the game, or at the secondary school level through the children’s participation in activities that can later be reflected in the formation of the school s representative teams in athletics, football, voleyball, basketball. We recommend involving children in such activities in school where the school after school program operates.