The Effect Of Physical Activity On Academic Performance In Junior High School Students

Objectives of the study:The relationship between physical exercise and academic performance and its possible mediating effect mechanism are discussed,which provides an important basis for improving students’ academic performance through physical exercise and promoting the benign development of school sports.Research Methods:Based on previous research,this study used the physical exercise scale scale,academic self-efficacy scale and middle school students’ learning stress questionnaire to conduct a questionnaire survey on 343 junior high school students in Nanyang,and took the midterm examination results of three courses in Chinese,mathematics and English as academic performance,and explored the relationship between physical exercise and academic performance of junior high school students and the chain mediating effect of academic self-efficacy and learning pressure.Research results:(1)Junior high school students are at a medium level of physical exercise,high learning pressure,and academic self-efficacy is at an upper middle level.(2)There were significant gender differences in physical exercise level,exercise intensity,academic self-efficacy,parental pressure,self-pressure,Chinese and mathematics performance of junior high school students,and boys’ exercise level,exercise intensity,learning ability effectiveness,parental pressure,self-pressure and mathematics scores were significantly higher than those of girls(p=0.006,p=0.018,p=0.006,p=0.001,p=0.000,p=0.014),and girls’ language scores were significantly higher than those of boys(p=0.024).There were significant differences in physical fitness level between physical activity level,academic self-efficacy,study pressure,self-stress,social pressure,total academic performance and mathematics performance(p=0.000,p=0.000,p=0.000,p=0.000,p=0.000,p=0.008,p=0.001).The better the physical fitness level,the greater the intensity,longer and more frequency of physical exercise for students,and the lower the student’s learning pressure,self-pressure,and social pressure.The students’ academic ability,efficacy,overall academic performance and mathematics scores were significantly lower than those of other groups.Junior high school survival is based on gender differences,social pressure is geographically different,rural students are higher than urban students.(3)There was a positive correlation between students’ academic performance and physical exercise level and academic self-efficacy(r=0.454,p<0.01;r=0.751,p<0.01),negatively correlated with learning pressure(r=-0.658,p<0.01),and learning pressure was negatively correlated with academic performance and physical activity level(r=-0.528,p<0.01;r=-0.461,p<0.01),academic self-efficacy was positively correlated with physical activity level(r=0.355,p<0.01).(4)The test of mediating effect showed that physical exercise can positively predict academic performance through academic self-efficacy,and academic self-efficacy plays a mediating role between physical exercise and academic performance;Learning pressure and academic self-efficacy play a chain mediating role in the influence of physical exercise on junior high school students’ academic performance.Conclusions:(1)Junior high school students have greater learning pressure,physical exercise and academic self-efficacy are at an upper middle level.(2)There were significant gender differences in students’ overall exercise level and exercise intensity,academic ability and self-efficacy,parental pressure,self-pressure,Chinese and mathematics scores,and boys’ total physical exercise scores and exercise intensity,academic ability and efficacy,parental pressure and mathematics scores were significantly higher than those of girls,while their language scores and self-pressure were significantly lower than those of girls.There were significant regional differences in the dimensions of social stress among students,and the social stress of rural students was significantly higher than that of urban students.There were significant physical differences in students’ overall exercise level,exercise intensity,exercise duration,exercise frequency,academic self-efficacy,stress level,and academic performance.(3)There was a positive correlation between students’ academic performance and physical exercise level and academic self-efficacy,and negatively correlated with learning pressure.(4)Physical exercise can significantly improve students’ academic performance,and the improvement of academic self-efficacy and the reduction of learning pressure play a significant chain mediating role between physical exercise and academic performance.