Active Breaks on Mental Health and Classroom Climate in Chilean Schoolchildren Aged 6 to 10

Universidad de Concepcion

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: School-age Children; School Health; Mental Health

Treatments: Behavioral: the Experimental Group, receiving a 12-week program of video-guided active breaks with curricular content in the school classroom

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06423404

Universidad de Concepción

Details and patient eligibility

About

Background: The incidence of mental health issues in children is increasing worldwide. In Chile, a recent surge in reports of deteriorating mental health among school populations and an increase in complaints related to poor school climate have been observed. Physical activity, specifically active breaks in the classroom, has shown positive effects on children's health. However, evidence regarding its impact on mental health and school climate in children is limited.

Objective: This article outlines the design, measurements, intervention program, and potential efficacy of the Active Classes + School Climate and Mental Health project. This project will assess a 12-week program of active breaks through guided videos with curricular content in the school classroom, and its effects on mental health and school climate as its primary contributions. Additionally, it will measure physical activity, physical fitness, motor competence, and academic performance in students aged 6 to 10 years in the Biobío province, Chile, as secondary contributions.

Methodology: It will be performed a multicenter randomized controlled trial involving students in the 1st to 4th grade (6 to 10 years old), encompassing a total of 48 classes across six schools (three intervention and three control) in the Biobío region, Chile. Video-guided active breaks will be implemented through the Active Classes; web platform, featuring curricular content, lasting 5 to 10 minutes and of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, twice a day, Monday to Friday, over a span of 12 weeks.

Expected Results/Discussion: To our knowledge, this will be the first study in Chile to evaluate the effects of incorporating video-guided active breaks with curricular content on mental health variables and school climate in schoolchildren. Thus, this study contributes to the scarce evidence on the effects of video-guided active breaks on mental health variables and school climate in schoolchildren worldwide. Additionally, it will provide crucial information about active teaching methodologies that have the potential to positively contribute to the well-being of students, thus addressing the problems of mental health and climate in Chilean schools.

Enrollment: 700 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 6 to 10 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• a) Regular male or female students in primary education, from first to fourth grade, at a public school in one of the three provinces of the Biobío region, willing to participate and with parental consent.

b) Students spend at least 38 hours per week in classes (6.5 hours daily) and have at least two short breaks (10-15 minutes) per day.

Exclusion criteria

• a) Students with a medical diagnosis of spinal pathologies, vertigo, or uncontrolled hypertension.

  b) Students with severe intellectual disabilities prevented them from following the program instructions.

  c) Students participating simultaneously in another project with similar objectives.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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700 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental Group: Active Break group

Experimental group

Description:

The Experimental Group, receiving a 12-week program of video-guided active breaks with curricular content in the school classroom

Treatment:

Behavioral: the Experimental Group, receiving a 12-week program of video-guided active breaks with curricular content in the school classroom

Control group: waiting list group

Other group

Description:

The Control Group, receiving the same intervention as the experimental group after the final data collection. During the time of the intervention, the waiting list group will receive the usual classes.

Treatment:

Behavioral: the Experimental Group, receiving a 12-week program of video-guided active breaks with curricular content in the school classroom