The relationships between the sub -domains of self -concept and physical self -concept, and between self -concept, physical fitness, and physical activity of elementary school students

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between the subdomains of self-concept, and between physical self-concept, physical fitness level, and the physical activity of elementary school children. Participants included 14 female and 11 males ranging in age from 8--14 years enrolled in Jerger Elementary School, Thomasville, Georgia. Total self-concept and sub-domains of self-concept was measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. Participants performed the President's Challenge Physical Fitness Battery, and a composite score was derived. Hotter monitors recorded waking to bedtime heart rates on two monitoring days; one weekday, and one weekend. Heart rates were analyzed after establishing the criteria for physical activity at 150% of the resting value, and the number of activity events, the duration, and the mean heart rate for each event was determined using a 30 second sampling rate. Dependent t-tests revealed significantly higher heart rates during activity on weekdays (p = .006), and an independent t-test revealed significantly greater weekday physical activity by the female participants (p = .01). Significant relationships were also found between the sub-domains of self-concept and sub-domain III. physical attributes and appearance, and between all sub-domains and total self-concept score. No significant differences in physical self-concept between male and female participants were revealed. Non-significant relationships were found between physical self-concept and the total minutes, intensity, and duration of physical activity on both weekdays, and weekends. Non-significant relationships were also found between physical fitness, and the total minutes, and duration of physical activity on both weekdays and weekends. These results appear to indicate that there may be little to no relationship between physical activity, physical fitness, and physical self-concept of elementary school age children. But given the methodological constraints, further study is warranted.