The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between increased physical fitness and learning disabled student's self-concept, anxiety level. and academic achievement. 34 learning disabled students in seventh arr. eighth grade (X age = 14 years, 7 months) were divided equally into comparison and treatment groups. For six weeks, the comparison and treatment groups maintained similiar class schedules with the exception that the treatment group was assigned to a physical education class where the students would partake in an aerobic exercise program (i.e. running and aerobics) and the comparison group remained in study hall. All 34 LD students were pretested and posttested using the 12 Minute Walk/Run Test. Piers-Harris Self- Concept Scale for_ Children, Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, and Wide Ranae Achievement Test-Revised.Four null hypotheses were tested using multivariate any, univariate analysis. The .05 level of significance was Mary Beth Hulecki Ed.D Ball State University, 1988 established as the critical probability level for the non acceptance of the statistical hypotheses.FindingsResults of multivariate analyses indicate: that no significant differences existed between the comparison and treatment groups on measures of IQ. self-concept. and anxiety. Results of multivariate analyses of pre-and posttest measures of the independent variable under study indicated that no significant differences existed between the comparison and treatment groups on measures of IQ. self-concept.and anxiety. Results of univariate analyses found no significant differences between the treatment and comparison groups after the physical fitness program on the independent measures of self-concept and anxiety level. Significant differences (p < .05) between the treatment and comparison groups were noted after intervention on measures of achievement and fitness. These results were observe: to be significant in the area of reading (p <.001).ConclusionsThe results of this study did not support theories that Suggested an increase in physical fitness Produced higher Self-concepts and decreased the anxiety level of learning disabled children. Although the LD students significantly raised their achievement scores, their anxiety level did not lessen and their self-concept scores were no higher after the running program. Several possible explanations are offered for consideration:1. Although achievement scores were higher after Intervention, they were still 2 or more standard deviations below the mean. These LD students were still functioning like mildly mentally handicapped students and were still far below the functioning level of their normal achieving peers. 2. As cited by other authors, LD students often try to portray themselves in a better light and do not accurately report their feelings.3. Underachievers were thought to respond unreliably on measures of self-concept. / Department of Special Education
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/176949 |
| Date | January 1988 |
| Creators | Hulecki, Mary Beth |
| Contributors | Lawver, Dale L. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | xi, 106 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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