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http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26133
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DC Field | Value | Language |
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dc.contributor.advisor | Cairney, John | - |
dc.contributor.author | Bedard, Chloe | - |
dc.date.accessioned | 2021-01-05T19:14:32Z | - |
dc.date.available | 2021-01-05T19:14:32Z | - |
dc.date.issued | 2020 | - |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26133 | - |
dc.description.abstract | Participation in physical activity (PA) has been linked to positive health and developmental outcomes particularly for children; however, global estimates of physical inactivity range from 67-80% of children. Physical inactivity is also related to increased rates of unhealthy weight, poor school readiness, and mental health concerns among children. Urgent prevention strategies are required to enhance the health and development of children. This thesis explored the use of three study designs to investigate the effects of various movement-based interventions on aspects of health and development in children. A quasi-experimental study was first conducted to test the effects of a movement- and pre-literacy program among 3- to 4-year-old children. This study found significantly positive improvements in movement skill and pre-literacy skills. Subsequently, a mixed method study was designed to expand the evaluation of the program. A randomized waitlist controlled trial with an embedded qualitative study revealed statistically significant intervention effects, while the qualitative data revealed that the program positively contributed to various aspects of children’s movement and pre-literacy abilities and overall confidence, and enhanced quality of at-home practice. The final study used a randomized controlled trial to test the acute effects of a bout of activity that varied in physical and cognitive demands on executive function. Key findings did not support the hypotheses that a cognitively engaging bout of PA enhances cognitive performance over non-cognitively engaging PA or sedentary activities, and this may have been due to overexertion during the activity and/or depletion of positive affect. Overall, the thesis findings demonstrated promise of a movement-based intervention for children, elucidated important design considerations of cognitively engaging physical activities, and suggested several new avenues of research. Moreover, the thesis has demonstrated the utility of using multiple designs and highlights the unique methodological considerations of conducting research with young children. | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.title | The Effects of Movement-based Interventions for Children | en_US |
dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
dc.contributor.department | Health Research Methodology | en_US |
dc.description.degreetype | Thesis | en_US |
dc.description.degree | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) | en_US |
dc.description.layabstract | Movement and physical activity (PA) play important roles in children’s development and health. However, children across the world are engaging in less PA leading to higher rates of physical and mental illness and poor school readiness. There is a need to develop programs designed to enhance the health and development of children over time. This thesis tests the effects of various movement-based interventions on aspects of health and development in children. Results of study 1 provided preliminary evidence in support of a movement- and pre-literacy program called Move 2 Learn (M2L). Study 2 used more rigorous methods to test M2L and found that the program had unexpected positive outcomes for parents. Finally, study 3 findings pointed to the value in ensuring children find joy in PA and are not overly exerting themselves. Overall, this thesis highlights the importance of movement in child development and encourages several new avenues of research. | en_US |
Appears in Collections: | Open Access Dissertations and Theses |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Bedard_Chloe_finalsubmission2020Dec_phd.pdf | 8.15 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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