Effects of a school-based karate intervention on academic achievement, psychosocial functioning, and physical fitness: A multi-country cluster randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To examine the effects of a school-based karate intervention on academic achievement, psychosocial functioning, and physical fitness in children aged 7-8 years.

Methods

Twenty schools in 5 different European countries (2 second-grade classrooms per school) participated in a cluster randomized controlled trial (Sport at School trial). Participants were assigned to either a control group, which continued with their habitual physical education lessons, or to an intervention group, which replaced these lessons with a 1-year karate intervention (Karate Mind and Movement program). A total of 721 children (344 girls and 377 boys, 7.4 ± 0.5 years old, mean ± SD) completed the study, of which 333 and 388 were assigned to the control group and intervention group, respectively.

SUBMITTER: Pinto-Escalona T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10818116 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature