Let there be Action Making a Case for Physical Activity Programs in Schools to

Enhance Positive Mood and Readiness to Learn

by

Brianna Crighton

A Proposal Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of
KINESIOLOGY
in the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education

Brianna Crighton, 2014

University of Victoria

All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy
or other means, without permission of the author.
Abstract
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Brianna Crighton
Objective. The aim of this study is to examine the acute effect of 30 minutes of moderate
to vigorous physical activity on the mood state of healthy elementary aged children in an
attempt to implement a more beneficial physical education program in the future.
Method. 20 healthy children, 6-8 years old, from Sidney Elementary School completed
30 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise on stationary bikes,
measured by polar heart monitors, twice a week for three weeks. Half of the students
were randomly assigned to each of the two intervention groups: a biking first or a not
biking first group. Data was collected by a modified version of the POMS-A for both
group pre and post intervention, with only one group completing the biking per session.
Each participant acted as his or her own control in this counter-balanced experimental
design. Data from the mood assessment was scored and a mean difference was calculated
for each participant, per session. Paired t-tests were used to statistically determine the
significance of physical activity on mood.

Table of Contents

Brianna Crighton
Abstract

Chapter 1: Introduction
Assumptions

4
6

Delimitations and Limitations

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature

Physical Education Programs

7
7

Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning

Learning and Mood

Physical Activity and Mood

-The Gender Effect
-Physical Activity and Depression

10
11
12

Measuring Physical Activity

12

Measuring Mood

13

Chapter 3: Method
Sampling Procedures

16
16

Participant Characteristics

16

Measures

16

Research Design

17

Procedures

18

Data Analysis

19

References

21

Appendix
Appendix A: Childrens PAR-Q

Appendix B: POMS-A Assessment

III

Appendix C: The PANAS Scale

IV

Chapter 1: Introduction

Brianna Crighton
The government of British Columbia requires that 30 minutes of daily physical activity
be provided as part of the students educational program in kindergarten through grade 7
(Ministry of Education, 2011). That being said, the method to implement this physical
activity is at the discretion of the school authorities. Currently in Canada, many of the
teachers who supervise and plan the physical education programs receive minimal
training during their teacher preparation programs (Cameron, Craig, Coles, & Cragg,
2003).
According to CSEP, children ages 5-11 years old should accumulate at least 60 minutes
of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day for health benefits, doing
better in school and feeling happier (CSEP, 2003). Physical activity is defined as any
bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure, resulting
in an increased heart rate and breathing (CSEP, 2003). Specifically, this study will be
referring to physical activity as moderate to vigorous intensity activity (MVPA), since it
is recommended for the age group. Examples of activities in this range include biking,
running and swimming (CSEP, 2003). Common measures of exercise intensity are
percentage of heart rate reserve (%HRR) or maximum heart rate (CSEP, 2003). %HRR
can be determined easily from resting heart values and the age of the individual, where
heart rates are measured in beats per minute (CSEP, 2003). Resting heart rates for
children ages 6-8 years old range from 75-110 bpm (CSEP, 2003). For MVPA, the target
intensity range for healthy adults is 55-80% HRR to improve cardiorespiratory fitness
(ACSM, 2000) and a specific range has not been indicated as different for children.
Cardiorespiratory fitness, or aerobic fitness, is activity in which large muscles move in a
rhythmic manner for a sustained period of time (CSEP, 2003), and operationally will be
used in this study to refer to the MVPA biking intervention.
While there are clear guidelines on recommended physical activity levels, there appears
to be a gap in knowledge translation into the physical education programs. Further
research is needed to explain the physiological mechanism as to how physical activity has
been shown to improve cognitive functioning (Carlson, Fulton, Lee, Maynard, Brown,
Kohl, & Dietz, 2008; Castelli, Hillman, Buck, & Erwin, 2007). While there are many
theories, including the thermogenic, monoamine, endorphin, opponent-process and
cerebral changes theories (Carron & Hausenblas, 2003), there has been little progress on

Brianna Crighton
identifying one collaborative mechanism. It has been accepted that certain types of
physical activity can lead to mental wellbeing and positive mood changes (Steptoe &
Butler, 1996; Norris, Carroll & Cochrane, 1992; Williamson, Dewey & Steinberg, 2001;
Wood, Angus, Pretty, Sandercock, & Barton, 2013), which can be beneficial to the
learning environment. Additionally, despite the substantial evidence of a positive
relationship between exercise and mood in adults and adolescents, there is little research
being done to explore this relationship in younger participants, particularly healthy
children under the age of 9 years old. Relevant factors to consider in future studies appear
to be the effect of age, gender, and mental health state as well as the creation of age
appropriate measures.
Mood is defined as a conscious state of mind or predominant emotion (Dictionary, 2014),
which is regulated by their individual emotional expressiveness. An individuals
expression of emotions can be displayed in many ways, including facial expressions and
body language. Specific mood states that are commonly considered in studies relating
physical activity to mood include depression and anxiety (Akandere, Bastug, &
Kumartasli, 2013; Birkeland, Torsheim, & Wold, 2009), while healthy participants are
less often studied. Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of
sadness and a loss of interest (Dictionary, 2014), while anxiety is a feeling of worry or
unease (Dictionary, 2014). Both of these mood disorders have been shown to have
negative implications for learning, while more research is still needed to explore how
positive mood changes may influence a readiness to learn.
The aim of this study is to examine the acute effect of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous
physical activity on the mood of healthy, elementary aged children, specifically 6-8 year
olds, in an attempt to implement a more beneficial physical education program. This
includes improvements in the planning of PE programs with regard to appropriate
intensity and duration, as well as maximizing both psychological and physiological
responses to increase the students readiness to learn. It is hypothesized that acute
physical activity bouts at a moderate to vigorous intensity will cause an increase in
positive mood states and a decrease in negative mood states in the participants of the
study.

Brianna Crighton
Assumptions
Based on the literature, it is assumed that the effect of exercise on mood will be
independent of gender and therefore boys and girls will be affected the same way by the
biking intervention. Additionally, that children in study do not have pre-existing mental
health problem and that after education the participants will know how to accurately
monitor their heart rate and keep it within the prescribed intensity zone. It is assumed that
the participants will complete the mood assessment truthfully and that it is a valid,
reliable measure for this age group.
Delimitations and Limitations
The delimitations of the study describe the scope inclusive of healthy, 6-8 year old,
children attending Sidney Elementary School in September 2015, whose parents have
consented to the terms of the study. Participants must not have a diagnosed mental health
condition or condition that prevents them from raising their heart rate. Participants must
all have had a childrens PAR-Q completed by their parents or legal guardians without
indicating a response that prevents their participation in physical activity.
Limitations of the study include that the children are not randomly assigned to the class
where the participants are recruited. However, they are randomly assigned to either of the
intervention groups once consent has been achieved. Additionally, the school of study
was not randomly chosen. It is a population of convenience that has agreed to participate
in the additional physical activity sessions. The lack of a pre-existing generalized mood
assessment for this age group also provides a limitation and the results may be more
reliable to the group of students at Sidney Elementary School.

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature

Brianna Crighton
The incorporation of physical education in school programs, specifically the participation
in physical activity, plays a role in a students readiness to learn. This may be partly due
to an increase in positive mood, which has been shown to facilitate recall. Although the
importance of the relationship between learning and positive mood changes has been
demonstrated in adolescents and adults, little research has explored this relationship in
younger children.
This chapter is organized to provide the reader with the relevant background material on
the relationship between physical activity and mood, and the importance of this in
physical education. The general outlines of physical education programs in Canada are
discussed, as well as why these programs are important in the learning process and how
mood affects learning. Current research on the effect of physical activity on the
psychological state of students is then explored and specific variables including gender
and depression are described. Finally, current research on measuring and implementing
effective physical activity and mood assessments are critiqued.

Physical Education Programs

Physical Education in British Columbia, for kindergarten through grade seven, requires
that 30 minutes of daily physical activity be provided as part of the students educational
program. Requirements become less structured as students age, with either 30 minutes
per day or a minimum of 150 minutes per week required in grades eight and nine, and
only a minimum of 150 minutes per week required in grades ten through twelve (Ministry
of Education, 2011). In an international review of physical education programs, Hardman
and Marshall (2000) estimated that only 57% of the Canadian cases they identified met
provincial requirements for allotted time devoted to physical education. Further, currently
in Canada many elementary generalists who teach physical education receive minimal
training during their teacher preparation programs and only 39% of schools reported that
those most often responsible for teaching physical education classes are specialists
(Cameron et al., 2003).
The importance of effective physical education was demonstrated in an evaluation of the
relationship between academic performance and physical fitness measures, where the
lowest scoring schools did not have a designated physical education teacher whereas the
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highest scoring schools did (Singh & McMahan, 2006). Although the importance of
physical education as part of a rounded education has been identified as important for
both academic and psychological aspects, the best method of administration has yet to be
identified and is often not carried out by those most suitable. Intensity, durations and
modes of exercise have not been specified by regulations and specialists in the field are
not currently designing the programs used in schools. Significant relationships between
physical activity and academic achievement have been shown repeatedly, though the
direction of causation is not known. While more research is required, promoting fitness
by increasing opportunities for physical activity during PE, recess, and out of school time
may support academic achievement (Chomitz, Slining, McGowan, Mitchell, Dawson, &
Hacker, 2009).

Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning

Historically, there has been a long-standing belief that being physically active has
consequences far beyond the physical (Carron & Hausenblas, 2003). This includes, but is
not limited to, aspects such as cognitive functioning and mental health. Participation in
regular physical activity has been positively associated with enhanced cognitive
functioning at every age, although the magnitude of the relationship varies across the age
spectrum (Carron & Hausenblas, 2003). It has also been reported that when students
increase their daily physical activity by 1020 minutes, their behavior in the classroom
improves, specifically their focus and academic performance. Decreases in their
perceived stress were reported, as well as less need for discipline (National Center for
Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2010).
While the impact varies across studies, positive correlations between physical activity
and cognitive functioning have been regularly observed. Significant benefits for
academic achievement in mathematics and reading have been observed for girls enrolled
in more physical education (Carlson et al., 2008). Similarly, field tests of physical fitness
have been positively related to academic achievement, specifically tests of aerobic
capacity (Castelli et al., 2007). While the relationship between physical activity and
increased cognitive functioning has been determined significant across ages the
physiological mechanism needs to be explored further.
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Brianna Crighton

Learning and Mood

Although varied, there is some research that mood affects learning through memory
(Nasby & Yando, 1982; Bartlett, Burleson & Santrock, 1982; Singer & Salovey, 1988;
Bryan, Mathur, & Sullivan, 1996) and the psychological benefit of regular physical
activity could improve the students readiness to learn, as well as the learning
environment.
Various chemicals which affect mood, focus and attention change in concentration and
affinity for receptors during physical activity (Rushton, Rushton, & Larkin, 2010); the
combination of releasing and up-taking these particular neurotransmitters, such as
serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine will have a strong impact on the emotional
experience and wellbeing of the child (Rushton et al., 2010), which can be partially due
to the autonomic arousal being a precondition for emotional experiences (Bartlett et al.,
1982). It has also been documented that the depletion of the neurotransmitters
norepinephrine and serotonin has been strongly implicated with the mood disorder
depression, and findings support that depressed mood impairs encoding and retrieval of
all material, positive and negative (Singer & Salovey, 1988; Akandere et al., 2013).
While research is still needed to explain the physiological mechanism, there are shown
benefits in positive classroom behavior, as a result of physical activity. One theory
explores the affect-dependent recall of learned information; in this case the affect
emotional state (Bartlett et al., 1982) has on learning, largely with encoding information
and facilitating recall. Strong evidence supporting that mood states influence childrens
selective processing of information has been demonstrated (Nasby & Yando, 1982;
Singer & Salovey, 1988). One repeat finding is that while positive moods tend to promote
the encoding and recall of positive memories and inhibit the processing of negative
material, parallel effects are not seen in negative moods which inhibit all learning and
recall (Singer & Salovey, 1988; Nasby & Yando, 1982). This suggests there is a
complicated mechanism underlying the effect of mood on learning (Singer & Salovey,
1988) but the overall effect observed has been strong enough to have significance in
ordinary school learning situations (Bartlett et al., 1982) and there is an interesting
possibly that the role may be more important in children than in adults (Bartlett et al.,
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Brianna Crighton
1982). General findings have shown that students in positive mood conditions perform
better than their peers in a neutral condition (Bryan et al., 1996; Singer & Salovey, 1988;
Nasby & Yando, 1982).

Physical Activity and Mood

Physical activity has been consistently correlated with the psychological wellbeing of
adolescents (Steptoe & Butler, 1996; Norris et al., 1992). Short bouts of exercise alone
have been shown to be enough to increase the intensity of positive mood (Privitera,
Antonelli, & Szal., 2014; Williamson et al., 2001; Wood et al., 2013), as well as in
combination with a regular exercise program (Hopkins, Davis, VanTieghem, Whalen &
Bucci, 2012). Increases in positive mood, as well as decreases in negative mood, have
been observed in adolescents participating in physical education programs (Annesi,
Faigenbaum, Westcott, Smith, Unruh & Hamilton, 2007; Williamson et al., 2001). This is
largely reported due to decreases in tension (Wood et al., 2013) and perceived stress
(Hopkins et al., 2012). Perceived stress was seen to significantly decrease when acute
exercise was combined with regular exercise, whereas a single bout of exercise did not
produce a significant effect on stress levels of adolescents (Hopkins et al., 2012). This
indicates a necessity to have a regular physical education program implemented in the
current curriculum, regardless of the acute benefits. While studies of adolescents and
adults appear to agree on a positive relationship between physical activity and mood,
there is some disagreement on whether the type of exercise has an effect. In some cases,
no differences have been shown between the types of exercising program (Williamson et
al., 2001; Privitera et al., 2014), while in others significant differences have been shown
between modes and intensities (Lindsey & Colwell, 2013; Hopkins et al., 2012; Norris et
al., 1992). In one study, similar changes in emotional expressiveness were observed in
boys and girls who completed girls socio-dramatic play and exercise play, whereas only
boys showed changes after rough and tumble play, indicating there may be a gender
effect worth investigating further (Lindsey & Colwell, 2013). It has also been noted that
when combined with an enjoyable distraction exercise can significantly increase positive
mood state (Privitera et al., 2014). Further research is needed to explore the specific

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programming of physical activity that results in positive mood changes, as well as
looking at populations younger than 9 years old.
The Gender Effect
Gender differences in the physical activity patterns of preschoolers (Kucera, 1985),
preadolscents (Ross & Pate, 1987; Trost, Pate, Saunders, Ward, Dowda & Felton, 1997)
and adolescents (Fuchs, Powell, Emmer, Dywer, Lippert, & Hoffmeister, 1988) are
commonly found in that males engage in more vigorous and moderate physical activity
than females. This difference may be due to different family and sociocultural influences
pertaining to participation in physical activity (Carron & Hausenblas, 2003). Additionally
to the level of participation in physical activity, gender may be associated with the
different effects varying types of exercise have on the psychological wellbeing of
children (Lindsey & Colwell, 2013; Steptoe & Butler, 1996; Birkeland, et al., 2013). As
stated previously, boys engaged in more sports and vigorous recreation and girls rated a
higher level of emotional distress (Steptoe & Butler, 1996). However, it is unclear if
gender difference alone are creating these differences or if un-equal opportunities to
participate in physical activities are provided to female students, creating the illusion of a
gender effect. Additionally, depression levels were found to be lower in boys exercising
regularly when compared to boys not exercising, but no difference was observed in
depression levels of girls (Akandere et al., 2013). Contrastingly, a benefit for academic
achievement in mathematics and reading has been observed for girls enrolled in more
physical education, while not among boys (Carlson et al., 2008). Generally it is observed
that greater participation in vigorous sports has been associated with lower risk of
emotional distress and has been positively associated with emotional wellbeing (Steptoe
& Butler, 1996) and thus if males are generally provided more opportunity to participate
in MVPA, they may experience greater psychological benefits than females. However, in
some studies no sex differences were found statistically relevant (Wood et al., 2013;
Castelli et al., 2007).
Physical Activity and Depression

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While there is a current gap of research on the effect of exercise on the healthy
population of children, the effect of exercise on depression and anxiety has been
researched extensively. Sufficient evidence supports the use of physical activity as a
means to lessen the negative mood symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescents
(Akandere et al., 2013; Birkeland, et al., 2013; Mazzone, Ducci, Scoto, Passaniti,
D'Arrigo & Vitiello, 2007). Leisure time physical activity has been seen to correlate
inversely with depressed mood but models that assume a linear relationship exists may
not be the most accurate (Birkeland, et al., 2013). It appears possible that depression and
physical activity levels may change naturally together through time, non-casually
(Birkeland, et al., 2013). The effect of physical activity on depression may vary
depending on the type of exercise, as well as gender of the participants (Akandere et al.,
2013). Depression level of boys in a regular physical activity program was lower than
that of boys not exercising, while no significant differences were found between girls
doing exercise and not doing exercise (Akandere et al., 2013). This could be related to the
relationship discussed in the previous section. The mental state of students plays a critical
role in their ability and willingness to learn. The prevalence of abnormally high selfreported levels of anxiety and depression have been negatively associated with school
performance (Mazzone et al., 2007) and therefore it is important to consider methods of
improving the psychological wellbeing of all students to provide the most beneficial
learning environment possible.

Measuring Physical Activity

Current health care guidelines for children aged 5-11 years old is to accumulate at least
60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per day to provide greater
health benefits (CSEP, 2003). This is operationally defined as 55-80% heart rate reserve
or participating in activities such as biking and running (CSEP, 2003). While most current
studies have based their exercise program intensity on adult studies (Williamson et al.,
2001), high intensity exercise has shown significantly lower scores of perceived stress
than exercise of a lower intensity (Norris et al., 1992). Moderate intensity and flexibility
groups did not consistently show measureable improvement in fitness, indicating a need
for higher intensity than seen in similar adult studies. This supports the implied

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relationship between improvements in aerobic fitness and psychological benefits (Norris
et al., 1992; Steptoe & Butler, 1996). However, improvements in social efficacy and
tension have been observed after a single bout of exercise at only a moderate intensity of
50% HRR (Wood et al., 2013) and even a standardized walking pace of 3.6 mph for 10
min has been shown as sufficient exercise intensity to observe post-exercise changes in
mood (Privitera et al., 2014; Hopkins et al., 2012). While a standardized exercise
intensity to implement psychological benefits in children has not been thoroughly
researched, many studies have been carried out with a moderate-vigorous level, following
the general healthcare guidelines (Birkeland, et al., 2013) and the relationship between
aerobic fitness and educational benefits is a common theme in current research (Norris et
al., 1992; Castelli et al., 2007; Carlson et al., 2008). The general documented duration of
exercise in adolescents for positive changes in mood is 25-30 minutes (Norris et al.,
1992; Hopkins et al., 2012; Annesi, Faigenbaum, Westcott, Smith, Unruh & Hamilton,
22007). However, there is variation in that some studies documented significant results in
as little as 10 minutes of activity (Privitera et al., 2014; Wood et al., 2013).

Measuring Mood
Although a standardized mood assessment measure has not been developed, the Profile of
Mood States (POMS), or adaptations of it, has been commonly used in the literature
(Annesi et al., 2007; Williamson et al., 2001; Wood et al., 2013). The traditional POMS
assesses six moods: the five negative moods of anger, tension, fatigue, depression and
confusion, and the one positive mood of vigor (Carron & Hausenblas, 2003) and has been
used as a reliable measure because all six mood states examined are influenced by
physical activity (Carron & Hausenblas, 2003; McDonald & Hodgdon, 1991). In a metaanalysis by McDonald & Hodgdon (1991) all negative mood states show significant
reductions, varying from an effect size of 0.18 for anger to 0.40 for confusion. Similarly,
the positive mood state showed a moderate increase in magnitude following bouts of
physical exercise, with an effect size of 0.40 (McDonald & Hodgdon, 1991). However, it
is recommended for use with subjects aged 18 and older who have had some level of high
school education and no data from individuals under 18 were used in the original
validations studies (Terry, Lane, Lane & Keohane, 1999). Despite this limitation, POMS

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has been used as a research tool in adolescent studies, even with children as young as
nine (Annesi et al., 2007) and in other cases an adapted version has been implemented, as
seen with the self reported mood scale (Williamson et al., 2001) and the Adolescent
Profile of Mood States Questionnaire (Wood et al., 2013). The degree to which the
POMS is suitable for research involving young participants is unknown (Terry). To
account for this, modifications to POMS were done to make it a valid and reliable
measure for adolescents (Terry et al., 1999). Only 17 of the original 42 descriptive terms
were chosen as understandable and reliable for young adolescents, with a mean age of
14.1, and were included in the adapted 24 terms for the modified POMS-A (Terry et al.,
1999). This measure was then tested for concurrent validity against the standardized
Positive and Negative Effect Scale (Watson, Clark & Tellegen, 1988) and determined a
significant assessment tool for applied sport psychology studies for adolescents (Terry et
al., 1999).
Modifications are necessary when working with participants under the age of 9, due to
the ability required to complete questionnaires accurately and reliably (Williamson et al.,
2001) and it has been suggested that many children cannot comprehend less commonly
used adjectives on current measures (Terry et al., 1999; Nasby & Yando, 1982). This
limitation is likely a contributing factor to the gap of research on the exercise effect on
mood in children under the age of nine. The current minimal research on children under
the age of 9 has measured emotional knowledge rather than mood state. This has been
done through emotional knowledge interviews, rather than modified questionnaires and
required participants to recognize and identify various facial expressions (Lindsey &
Colwell, 2013). While this does support the use of visual aid in studies working with
younger children (Lindsey & Colwell, 2013; Williamson et al., 2001; Terry et al., 1999),
it does not provide the data on mood state like with the POMS questionnaires.
The relationship between physical activity and academic benefits has been demonstrated
across the ages in literature. Although, less researched, the benefit of physical activity on
mood appears to have a role in the possible mechanisms as to how this occurs. While
many studies have demonstrated how physical activity induces a positive change in the
mood of adults and adolescents there is a current gap if a similar benefit is observed in
children, particularly in the healthy and under the age of 9 years old. Based on the review

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of literature this is largely due to a need for a standardized measure of mood in children
as well as recommended intensity and durations of activity. This study will attempt to
begin filling these gaps by modifying a valid mood assessment for adolescents to be
useful for exploring the relationship between physical activity and mood in young
children. This study hopes to provide the beginning information needed to further support
the beneficial relationship between acute physical activity and mood that has been
demonstrated in older populations. This will hopefully support the need for a more
effectively designed and implemented physical education program in the Canadian
education program.

Chapter 3: Methods
Sampling Procedures
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Brianna Crighton
The sampling frame will be Sidney Elementary Students aged 6-8 from a grade one or a
grade two class. The sampling method used will be nonprobability sampling since
students will be chosen from an intact class. Emails will be sent out to qualifying
students parents informing them on the goals and method of the study. Agreements will
be obtained for school district approval as well as parent and child informed consent. Of
the consenting participants, parents will be required to complete a childrens PAR-Q and
all questions must be answered with a negative response. Ethics approval will be sought
from the University of Vitoria before the study takes place.
Participant Characteristics
Participants will include boys and girls, ages 6-8, who are currently attending Sidney
Elementary School at the time of study. They will be drawn from the grade 1 or grade 2
classes until a sample of approximately 20-30 participants is achieved. Participants will
be recruited at the beginning of the school year in early September for intervention to
take place beginning in early October and continuing through November.
In order to be eligible for participation participants must be considered physiologically
and psychologically healthy meaning they have not been clinically diagnosed with
depression, anxiety, or other chronic health conditions as well as being told by a doctor
that they cant raise they heart rate. Chronic health conditions include both mental and
physical diagnoses. Additionally, the participants must meet the major characteristics of
being no younger or older than 6-8 years old, and must be attending Sidney Elementary
School at the time of the study.
Measures
As a pre-study assessment, the parents of the participating students will complete the
PAR-Q survey. This is to ensure the participants safety and ability to complete the
MVPA of the intervention. The childrens PAR-Q survey is included in the appendix.
The current profile of mood state questionnaire for adolescents (POMS-A) was modified
for children by changes in language and adding pictorial imagery to increase
understanding, based on current literature. A two part pilot study will be run, prior to the
experimental study, with children in the appropriate age range of 6-8 years old to

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establish the reliability and validity of this modified assessment. The first part of the pilot
will assess the language and imagery used to enhance understanding. Part two will assess
the reliability and validity by comparing to the standardized Positive and Negative Affect
(PANAS) scale, which was used to validate the POMS-A. PANAS include two sub
sections that evaluate mood in the moment and the current day, as well as long-term time
frames, the first two being relevant to the current study. The POMS-A assessment and the
PANAS scale are both included in the appendix for reference.
The intensity of exercise will be measured with polar heart rate monitors that the
participants will have been previously educated on how to use appropriately and which
numerical values to keep within. These values will be specific to the participants age and
resting heart rate but generally will fall within a range of 153-186 bpm for children with
an average resting heart rate of 80 bpm and within 6-8 years old. These are the general
standards for measuring and prescribing intensity as per CSEP currently (2003). The
intensity will be calculated each session by the intensity formula:
%HRR = (max heart rate resting heart rate) x %intensity + resting heart rate
Max heart rate will be determined by age with the formula:
HRmax = 200 bpm age
Resting heart rate will be measured each session, prior to any exercise, by the polar heart
rate monitors.
Research Design
The research design is true experimental because the participants will be randomly
assigned into one of two intervention groups each week. The two groups are a biking first
group and a not biking first group, where the intervention is the physical activity of
biking for 30 minutes at a moderate-vigorous intensity. The study is conducted with a
counter-balanced method where each participant acts as their own control, to account for
threats of order.

Procedures

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Brianna Crighton
Before beginning the experimental study a two part pilot study will be run with children
in the appropriate age range of 6-8 years old to establish the reliability and validity of the
modified mood assessment tool. The current profile of mood state questionnaire for
adolescents (POMS-A) was modified for children by changes in language and adding
pictorial imagery.
With an approximate 50% participation rate, a sample of about 20-30 participants from
the grade one or two classes from Sidney Elementary School will be selected based on
volunteers that meet the participant criteria and whose parents fill out a PAR-Q that does
not indicate any limitations to participation in physical activity. After parent approval has
been achieved, half of the participants will be randomly assigned to each intervention
group: either the biking first group or the biking second group. Prior to each session, all
participants will have their resting heart rate measured by the polar heart rate monitors.
From these day specific values and their age calculated max heart rate, the target intensity
range of 55-80% HRR will be calculated for MVPA. The participants will then be
instructed to keep their heart rate within the prescribed range during the physical activity
intervention, or close to their resting rate if not receiving intervention.
The biking first group will complete the aerobic physical activity intervention that day,
while the biking second group will complete the intervention the following day. Both
groups will fill out the modified mood assessment before the intervention, even if they
are not receiving the intervention that day. The researcher will lead the 30-minute
physical activity session, at the beginning of class time, on stationary bikes with the
biking first group only. The biking second group will continue with regular, pre class
reading for the entire 30 minutes. It is important to note that the group not completing the
exercise intervention will be participating in 30 minutes of activity that does not result in
an increase of heart rate. Heart rate monitors will be worn on both groups at all times of
the study and participants will be instructed to maintain within the prescribed range for
that day, based on their age and resting heart rate. After either 30 minutes of biking or
reading, participants of both groups will complete the same mood assessment as before.
The same process will then be repeated in an additional session that week, likely within
the following day or two. In the second session that week the biking second group will
complete the exercise and the biking first group will participate in 30 minutes of regular

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Brianna Crighton
reading, as described above. Both groups will complete the mood assessment before the
exercise intervention. The biking second group will then complete the 30-minute biking
intervention led by the researcher, while the biking first group will continue with reading
time. The same intensity measures and regulation will be imposed for each session. After
30-minutes, the mood assessment will be completed by both groups again. This 2-day
process described will be repeated for 3 weeks to account for contextual variability
within each participant. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the biking first or
the biking second intervention group each week, accounting for the order effect.
Depending on number of bikes available, all participants per group may not be able to
complete the intervention at the same time. If this is the case, two sessions will be needed
per day to obtain all the data from the group completing the physical activity
intervention. Additionally, participants will then be randomly assigned to the specific
session they complete that day for each week of the study, as well as which day they
receive the intervention.
To enhance quality of measurements the participants will be previously educated on how
to properly wear and read heart rate monitors. They also be educated on how keep their
heart rates within the target intensity zone. These explanations will be given at the
beginning of each session. Exercise bicycles will also be adjusted for the height of the
participant and the appropriate resistance that allows them to maintain the target intensity
zone at a comfortable pace. Since the researcher is leading the physical activity, the
teacher will not require training. A clear, non- ambiguous mood measure scale was
adapted from POMS-A and will be piloted on children of the same age group to
determine reliability and validity of it as a measure of mood in children. This was
described in detail in the measures.
Data Analyses
Data from mood measures will be scored and a mean value given for each assessment the
participant completes. The difference in score will be calculated from before and after the
treatment, either physical activity or reading. Paired t-tests in a repeat measures design
will be used since the experimental design is a counter-balanced, test-retest design where
each participant acts as their own control. This method of data analysis will determine if

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there is statistical difference between the participants change in their self reported mood
score before and after the 30-minute moderate to vigorous physical activity intervention
versus the change in their mood score when they did not receive the intervention that
week. If the difference is significant, the hypothesis that 30 minutes of moderate to
vigorous activity is sufficient to induce a mood change in children ages 6-8 years old. If
the hypothesis is rejected research should continue in the area, but explore the effect of
various intensities, durations and modes of activity. Additionally, the chronic effect of
physical on activity in children should be investigated. The values can also be plotted
over time to show trends of continuous exercise as well as the acute changes in mood per
day.

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Appendix A: Childrens PAR-Q

ChildrensPAR-Q ScreeningForm
Childs name:
Parent/guardian name:
Address:

Postcode:

Childs Date of Birth:

Current Age:

Emergency Contact Details:

Home:
Work:
Mobile:
Health Questions:

Name and relationship to child:

Name and relationship to child:
Name and relationship to child:

Does your child have or has he or she ever experienced any of the following? Please Circle
High or Low Blood Pressure
Y/ N
Elevated blood cholesterol
Y/ N
Diabetes
Y/ N
Chest pains brought on by physical exertion
Y/ N
Childhood epilepsy
Y/ N
Dizziness or fainting
Y/ N
A bone, joint or muscular problems with arthritis
Y/ N
Asthma or respiratory Problems
Y/ N
Any sustained injuries or illness
Y/ N
Any allergies
Y/ N
Is your child taking any medication
Y/ N
Has your doctor ever advised your child to exercise
Y/ N
Is there any reason not mentioned above why any type or physical activity
Y/ N
may not be suitable for your child
IfansweredYEStoanyoftheabove questionsplease give full details here:

Any Special dietary needs for your child?

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Appendix B: Adolescent Profile of Mood States (POMS-A)

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Appendix C: The PANAS Scale