Parents' perceptions of school recess policies and practices.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that school recess can provide children with physical, social and cognitive benefits; yet, recess opportunities and experiences may be different for different groups of children, specifically for children living in lower income environments, children of different racial groups other than white, and for children with disabilities. Parent perceptions of recess are important to consider as they serve as advocates for their children's access and opportunities at school as well as an additional informant for children's experiences at recess that may be useful for policymakers and school boards to consider. OBJECTIVE: To examine parent perceptions of recess by children's disability status, children's race and ethnicity, and family household income. METHOD: Participants included 473 parents from the U.S.A. stratified across six household income levels. Data were collected through an online survey using Prolific in May of 2020]. Confirmatory factor analyses were run for measures assessing parents' perception of belonging and victimization at recess, recess policies, and recess procedures. Regression analyses were run to examine if parents' perception of recess were predicted by race, income, or child disability status. RESULTS: Results revealed that parents' perceptions of recess were predicted by child disability status but not race or income. Specifically, parents' perceptions were significantly predicted by child disability status regarding victimization (b = .13, SE = .06, p = .05), recess policies about withholding recess (b = .171, SE = .07, p = .01), and finally, student engagement at recess (b = .165, SE = .07, p = .02). CONCLUSION: Results show that parents of children with a disability perceive a different recess experience for their child that involves more instances of victimization compared to parents of typically developing children. Based on these findings, school, district, and state policy makers could consider ensuring that recess includes multiple activities, is supervised by adults, and is a space where conflict resolution occurs, for creating a more inclusive environment for children with disabilities.

An observational study of recess quality and physical activity in urban primary schools.

BACKGROUND: To date, there is scant literature that examines the recess context concurrent with, but separate from, levels of physical activity. The primary purpose of the current study was to examine how recess quality impacted physical activity levels, and how this was moderated by gender. A secondary purpose was to examine if differences in children's engagement in activities occurred between recess sessions scored as low- or high- quality. METHODS: This was an observational study of children at 13 urban elementary schools in the U.S. Across the 13 schools, data were collected at 55 recess sessions, with 3419 child-level observations (n = 1696 boys; n = 1723 girls). Physical activity data were collected using Fitbit accelerometers, recess quality data were collected using the Great Recess Framework - Observational Tool (GRF-OT), recess engagement data were collected using the Observation of Playground Play (OPP), and basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) data were collected using a modified version of the BPNS for recess physical activity survey. Primary analyses were conducted using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) with children nested within recess sessions. RESULTS: Gender moderated the relationship between adult engagement and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (b = .012; 95% CI .001, .024), student behavior and MVPA (b = -.014; 95% CI -.021, -.007), and student behaviors and light physical activity (b = .009, 95% CI .003, .015). Both boys and girls engaged in more play during recess sessions scored as high quality on the GRF-OT. Children reported higher levels of basic psychological need satisfaction at recesses sessions scored as high quality on the GRF-OT. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the current study showed that the quality of the recess environment, and the interactions of both adults and students in that environment, need to be taken into consideration in future school-based recess studies.

Examination of the Responsiveness of the Great Recess Framework-Observational Tool.

The purpose of this study was to test the responsiveness of the great recess framework-observational tool (GRF-OT) to detect changes in recess quality. GRF-OT data were collected at two time points (fall 2017 and spring 2018) in four geographically distinct regions of the United States. Following recommendations by Massey et al. (2018), a three-day average of recess observations was used for each data point. Data analysis was conducted on nine schools contracted to receive services from Playworks, a national non-profit organization specializing in recess implementation, for the first time; eight schools with returning Playworks services (i.e., multiple years of service) and five schools with no intervention services. Analysis of the change in GRF-OT scores from fall to spring revealed a large effect for first-year intervention schools (g = 1.19; 95% CI 0.13, 2.25) and multi-year intervention schools (g = 0.788; 95% CI -0.204, 1.78). GRF-OT scores decreased for schools not receiving an intervention (g = -0.562; 95% CI, -2.20, 1.07). New intervention schools (odds ratio= 21.59; 95% CI 4.27, 109.15) and multi-year intervention schools (odds ratio= 7.34; 95% CI 1.50, 35.97) were more likely to meet the threshold for meaningful positive change than non-intervention schools. The results of the current study suggest that GRF-OT is a responsive tool that researchers, practitioners, and policy makers can use to measure and assess changes in the quality of the recess environment.

Observations of playground play during elementary school recess.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to examine reliability and validity evidence for an observational measure of playground play during recess. Observational data of what children played at recess were collected at 236 recess sessions across 26 urban elementary schools. An inductive content analysis of children's type of play and activity engagement during recess was conducted to categorize activities. Inter-rater reliability of observations was assessed at 49 points that spanned 22 unique recess periods at four different schools. Reliability data were collected during the winter and spring seasons. A multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to examine differences in play and activity patterns between genders, and between schools implementing recess interventions (e.g., structured play environment) and schools with no recess intervention. RESULTS: Results of the content analysis yielded eight playground play and activity categories, all with high levels of inter-rater reliability (ICCs > .90). Significant differences in children's play and activity patterns emerged between genders and across recess intervention conditions. Engagement in 'sports and organized activities' and 'non-engagement in play' contributed most to the separation between boys and girls, while 'non-engagement in play' contributed most to the separation between recess intervention and non-intervention schools.

Individual and environmental correlates of school-based recess engagement.

The purpose of this study was to examine individual variables associated with children's levels of recess physical activity (PA), as well as environmental influences that influence children's engagement during recess. Participants (n = 146) were 4-6th grade students across seven schools. PA data were collected using the Fitbit Flex. Psychological need satisfaction at recess data were collected with a basic psychological need satisfaction for recess PA survey. Observations of recess activity engagement and the quality of the recess environment were also collected at 134 recess periods (n = 8340 children) across nine schools. Results of multi-level regression analyses indicated that gender and recess time were significant predictors of physical activity during recess. In examination of the environmental level factors, multi-level regression analyses revealed that 'adult engagement and supervision' was the only significant predictor for recess engagement in boys and girls. These findings suggest the amount of time allocated, and the quality of the recess environment must be included in evaluation of the critical factors relevant to engagement of students in physically active recesses.

Development of the great recess framework - observational tool to measure contextual and behavioral components of elementary school recess.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) remains the primary behavioral outcome associated with school recess, while many other potentially relevant indicators of recess remain unexamined. Few studies have assessed observations of teacher/student interactions, peer conflict, social interactions, or safety within the recess environment. Furthermore, a psychometrically-sound instrument does not exist to examine safety, resources, student engagement, adult engagement, pro-social/anti-social behavior, and student empowerment on the playground. The purpose of the current study was to develop a valid, and reliable, assessment tool intended for use in measurement of the contextual factors associated with recess. METHODS: An iterative and multi-step process was used to develop a tool that measures safety and structure, adult engagement and supervision, student behaviors, and transitions at recess. Exploratory structural equation modeling (Mplus v. 7.4) was used to examine the underlying measurement model with observational data of the recess environment collected at 649 school-based recess periods that spanned across 22 urban/metropolitan areas in the USA. Data were also collected by two researchers at 162 recess sessions across 9 schools to examine reliability. RESULTS: A 17-item observation instrument, the Great Recess Framework - Observational Tool (GRF-OT), was created. Findings of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) analyses supported factorial validity for a 4-factor solution and linear regressions established convergent validity where 'structure and safety', 'adult engagement and supervision', and 'student behaviors' were all significantly related to observed activity levels. Each sub-scale of the GRF-OT showed adequate levels of inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability analysis indicated a higher level of stability for the GRF-OT when using a three-day average across two time points as compared to a two-day average. CONCLUSIONS: Initial evidence for a valid, and reliable, assessment tool to observationally measure the recess environment with a specific focus on safety, resources, student engagement, adult engagement, pro-social/anti-social behavior, and student empowerment was established in this study. Use of the GRF-OT can inspire evaluation, and subsequent intervention, to strategically create consistent, appropriate, and engaging school recess that impact children's physical, cognitive, social and emotional development.