Exercise, grit, and life satisfaction among Korean adolescents: a latent growth modeling analysis.

BACKGROUND: Life satisfaction among Korean students is declining substantially, and multifaceted improvement efforts are required. METHODS: We analyzed longitudinal change trajectories for exercise, grit, and life satisfaction levels among Korean adolescents using latent growth modeling with longitudinal data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Surveys of 2,142 students (male: 1,070, female: 1,072) from sixth grade (2020) through eighth grade (2022). RESULTS: The model, which tracked linear changes in the students' exercise, grit, and life satisfaction, showed consistent declines over three school years for all variables. We also identified a longitudinal causal relationship among exercise, grit, and life satisfaction. A higher grit intercept was associated with higher intercept for-and a partial mediating effect between-exercise and life satisfaction. The grit slope was positively related to the life satisfaction slope, and both the intercept and exercise slope had positive effects on life satisfaction. Moreover, grit had a longitudinal mediating effect between exercise and life satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the longitudinal change trajectories of exercise, grit, and life satisfaction, the causal and mediating effects among them, and the implications of the findings. These findings bolster our understanding of Korean adolescents' life satisfaction and have practical significance for designing programs to improve their quality of life.

The Effect of a Virtual Reality-Based Physical Education Program on Physical Fitness among Elementary School Students.

Background: This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of a virtual reality-based physical education program on physical fitness among Korean elementary school students. Methods: The study, conducted at a public school in South Korea in the second semester of 2022, included experimental and control groups of 45 participants each (N=90). All participants underwent physical fitness tests before and after the experiment. The students assigned to the experimental group participated in the virtual reality-based physical education program three times a week for a total of 8 weeks (40 minutes per session), while those assigned to the control group did not participate in any exercise program. The effect size was confirmed using Cohen's d, and a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze changes in physical factors before and after the experiment for each group. Results: Among the male participants, we observed significant differences in overall health-related physical fitness, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and power between the experimental and control groups (P<0.05). Among the female participants, we observed significant differences in overall health-related physical fitness, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, and muscular strength and endurance between the groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: Virtual reality-based physical education may help to improve indicators of physical fitness among elementary school students, especially among those who have experienced deterioration of physical fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results, therefore, highlight the need to establish virtual reality-based physical education facilities at the elementary school level in Korea.

The Effect of Exercise on School Life Satisfaction in Korean Children and Adolescents Considering the Mediation Effects of Physical Health Awareness, Self-Esteem, and Depression.

Background: This study analyzed physical health awareness, self-esteem, and depression as mediation factors in the effect of exercise on school life satisfaction. It compared these between Korean children and adolescents. Methods: Based on the 2020 Survey on the Human Rights of Children and Adolescents in Korea, data were extracted on 2,896 children in grades 4 to 6 and 5,727 adolescents in grades 7 to 12. A structural equation model was designed and multi-mediation analysis was conducted using phantom variables. To verify the differences between children and adolescents, latent means, path coefficients, and mediating effect confidence intervals were analyzed. Results: Structural modeling and bootstrapping revealed that the direct and indirect paths were significant in both groups (P<0.01). Comparing the mean differences, children showed higher means than adolescents did in all variables. Among the direct paths, the paths of physical health awareness from exercise practice and school life satisfaction from physical health awareness were higher in adolescents (P<0.01), and the path of school life satisfaction from exercise practice was higher in children (P<0.01). The indirect paths showed that the mediating effect of health awareness between exercise and school life satisfaction was stronger among adolescents. Conclusion: Physical and mental health directly and indirectly affect school life satisfaction, with different patterns in children and adolescents. This study emphasizes the need for different strategies for children and adolescents who are experiencing physical and mental health problems and difficulties adjusting to school life.

Happiness Levels and Leisure Life Satisfaction for Sports Leisure Activities Participation: Implication for Physical Education in Korea.

Background: The study aimed to analyze happiness levels and leisure life satisfaction related to participation in sports leisure activities, and the differences in satisfaction levels by the type of participation events and participants' demographic backgrounds. Methods: This study was based on the 2020 Korea National Leisure Activities Survey using stratified multistage cluster sampling with a population over the age of 15 years and a nationwide survey. Moreover, a household visit interview survey was conducted from September 7 to November 16, 2020. A total of 10,088 people (5,003 males and 5,085 females) responded to the survey. Frequency analysis, chi-square test, independent t-test, and one-way analysis of variance were performed. Results: The analysis of the distribution of participants and the happiness level and overall leisure life satisfaction between participants in sports and non-sports leisure activities showed significant differences (P<0.05). Participants in sports leisure activities had higher levels of happiness and satisfaction with leisure activities than those in non-sports leisure activities. There were significant differences in satisfaction with participation in sports leisure activities by type of sports, age, educational level, marital status, and household income level (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There were significant differences in participation in sports leisure activities by type of sports, age, educational level, marital status, and household income level, and the satisfaction level of participants in sports leisure activities differed according to these factors. This suggests that various educational efforts are required to combine physical education with sports leisure activities in school.

Relationship between Participation in Physical Activity and Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Korea during the Pandemic.

Background: The lack of physical activity because of restrictions from the pandemic has increased interest in the deterioration of mental and physical health. This is the first study in Korea to investigate how participation in physical activity is correlated with subjective well-being among Koreans in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The survey was conducted among those aged >13 years, from August 24 to September 7, 2020. The process included self-reported surveys, telephone surveys, and face-to-face household interviews; 11,604 people (men=7,758 and women=3,846) participated. Frequency, correlation, and one-way analysis of variance were performed to identify differences between age and sex groups according to the physical activity level, while post-hoc Scheffe tests to examine between-group differences when significant results were observed. Results: Statistically significant correlations were observed between life satisfaction, living environment satisfaction, and levels of happiness and anxiety based on sex and age (P<0.05). There were significant differences between frequency and time spent on physical activity and subjective well-being according to sex and age (P<0.05). Conclusion: The study results are highly generalizable considering the analysis of a large-scale sample within a big area in Korea. The findings emphasize that subjective well-being is influenced by sex, age, frequency, and time spent engaged in physical activity. Such basic data can be helpful for establishing policies related to physical activity.