What makes young people tick? A qualitative analysis of the beliefs and perceptions of school aged children towards PE and healthy living in “the sickest area of Europe”

Joe G. Cowley; John Kiely; Dave Collins

doi:10.1515/ijamh-2017-0050

Article

What makes young people tick? A qualitative analysis of the beliefs and perceptions of school aged children towards PE and healthy living in “the sickest area of Europe”

Joe G. Cowley , John Kiely and Dave Collins

Published/Copyright: July 26, 2017

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From the journal International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health Volume 31 Issue 5

Abstract

Scottish children are reported to be among the least active in the world, additionally Scotland has previously been labelled “the sick man of Europe” on account of its poor health record. In response, the Scottish Government has implemented a range of policies with a strong focus on increasing physical activity (PA), Physical Education (PE) and the integration of health and wellbeing (HWB) with the aim of promoting and sustaining PA throughout life. To date, limited qualitative research exploring pupil perspective of PE lessons and HWB exists. To address this deficit, within this study, focus groups were conducted with 39 secondary school pupils (S1–S2). The findings indicated that delivery of traditional PE lessons, prioritising sporting ability, can act as a participation barrier to pupils who consider themselves “non-sporty”. Accordingly, a shift towards pedagogical models, rather than simply blocks of sports-related activities should be the priority of educators.

Keywords: activity; adolescents; health and wellbeing; physical education

A Appendix Topic guide

Tell me what healthy living means to you?
What sort of health issues do think are important to young people like yourself?
What sort of things do young people do, that are healthy?
What sort of things do young people do, that are unhealthy?
What do you understand about PE and health and wellbeing?
Do you think that something like Facebook/Mobile phones/Computer gaming could be used to help improve young people’s health, even in class ?
If you wanted some health advice who would you like to go to?
- Person similar to yourself in age
- Teachers
- Parents
- Health professionals
- Other/family

B Appendix Phases of Thematic analyses

Adapted from Braun and Clarke

Data familiarisation – Read and re-read the data. Note down general ideas.
Generate initial codes using a highlighter in the margin of the transcript. Ensure that each piece of data is assigned to the relevant code.
Search for themes – Look for a pattern that emerges from the codes. Collate these codes together into relevant themes.
Review the themes and codes grouped together.
Define and name the themes. What does each theme mean? Use an appropriate name for each theme.
Write report – Choose relevant detailed extracts. How does this relate to the literature and research aims?

C Appendix Participants Characteristics

This guide corresponds to the original transcripts and allows the reader an understanding of what school the participant comes from and in what focus group (FG) each particular participant participated in.

School 1

1–4 FG4

5–8 FG1

9–12 FG2

13–15 FG3

School 2

16–19 FG 5

20–23 FG 6

School 3

24–27 FG7

28–31 FG8

32–35 FG 9

35–39 FG 10

Respondent	Age	Sex	School year
1	13	M	S2
2	13	M	S2
3	13	M	S2
4	13	M	S2
5	13	F	S2
6	13	F	S2
7	12	F	S2
8	13	F	S2
9	12	M	S1
10	12	M	S1
11	12	M	S1
12	12	M	S1
13	13	F	S2
14	13	F	S2
15	12	M	S2
16	12	M	S1
17	12	F	S1
18	13	F	S2
19	12	F	S2
20	13	M	S2
21	13	M	S2
22	13	M	S2
23	13	M	S2
24	12	M	S1
25	12	F	21
26	12	F	S1
27	12	M	S1
28	13	M	S2
29	13	M	S2
30	13	F	S2
31	13	M	S2
32	12	F	S1
33	13	F	S2
34	12	F	S1
35	12	F	S1
36	12	M	S1
37	13	F	S2
38	13	M	S2
39	13	M	S2

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Received: 2017-03-21

Accepted: 2017-05-14

Published Online: 2017-07-26

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2017-0050

Keywords for this article

activity; adolescents; health and wellbeing; physical education

Respondent	Age	Sex	School year
1	13	M	S2
2	13	M	S2
3	13	M	S2
4	13	M	S2
5	13	F	S2
6	13	F	S2
7	12	F	S2
8	13	F	S2
9	12	M	S1
10	12	M	S1
11	12	M	S1
12	12	M	S1
13	13	F	S2
14	13	F	S2
15	12	M	S2
16	12	M	S1
17	12	F	S1
18	13	F	S2
19	12	F	S2
20	13	M	S2
21	13	M	S2
22	13	M	S2
23	13	M	S2
24	12	M	S1
25	12	F	21
26	12	F	S1
27	12	M	S1
28	13	M	S2
29	13	M	S2
30	13	F	S2
31	13	M	S2
32	12	F	S1
33	13	F	S2
34	12	F	S1
35	12	F	S1
36	12	M	S1
37	13	F	S2
38	13	M	S2
39	13	M	S2

Respondent	Age	Sex	School year
1	13	M	S2
2	13	M	S2
3	13	M	S2
4	13	M	S2
5	13	F	S2
6	13	F	S2
7	12	F	S2
8	13	F	S2
9	12	M	S1
10	12	M	S1
11	12	M	S1
12	12	M	S1
13	13	F	S2
14	13	F	S2
15	12	M	S2
16	12	M	S1
17	12	F	S1
18	13	F	S2
19	12	F	S2
20	13	M	S2
21	13	M	S2
22	13	M	S2
23	13	M	S2
24	12	M	S1
25	12	F	21
26	12	F	S1
27	12	M	S1
28	13	M	S2
29	13	M	S2
30	13	F	S2
31	13	M	S2
32	12	F	S1
33	13	F	S2
34	12	F	S1
35	12	F	S1
36	12	M	S1
37	13	F	S2
38	13	M	S2
39	13	M	S2

Respondent	Age	Sex	School year
1	13	M	S2
2	13	M	S2
3	13	M	S2
4	13	M	S2
5	13	F	S2
6	13	F	S2
7	12	F	S2
8	13	F	S2
9	12	M	S1
10	12	M	S1
11	12	M	S1
12	12	M	S1
13	13	F	S2
14	13	F	S2
15	12	M	S2
16	12	M	S1
17	12	F	S1
18	13	F	S2
19	12	F	S2
20	13	M	S2
21	13	M	S2
22	13	M	S2
23	13	M	S2
24	12	M	S1
25	12	F	21
26	12	F	S1
27	12	M	S1
28	13	M	S2
29	13	M	S2
30	13	F	S2
31	13	M	S2
32	12	F	S1
33	13	F	S2
34	12	F	S1
35	12	F	S1
36	12	M	S1
37	13	F	S2
38	13	M	S2
39	13	M	S2