Gamified Program in Primary School Physical Education

NCT07723989 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: U.AC
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 176
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study evaluates the effects of an 8-week gamified cooperative exergaming program implemented during regular physical education lessons in primary school children. Participants were assigned by classroom to either an experimental group, which completed "The Movement League" program integrating dance-based exergames, cooperative learning, and gamification, or a control group, which received conventional physical education. The study aims to determine whether this multicomponent intervention improves motivation toward physical education, increases habitual physical activity, and reduces sedentary behavior compared with standard physical education.

Conditions

Physical Activity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Health-Related Physical Fitness

  Change in health-related physical fitness measured using the ALPHA-Fitness Test Battery, including cardiorespiratory fitness (20-m shuttle run), lower-body muscular power (standing long jump), upper-body muscular strength (handgrip strength), and speed-agility (4 × 10 m shuttle run).

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

• Motor Competence

  Change in motor competence measured using the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA), including movement skill quality, task completion time, and total score.

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

• Physical Activity Self-Perceptions

  Change in physical activity self-perceptions measured using the Children's Self-Perceptions of Adequacy in and Predilection for Physical Activity (CSAPPA) questionnaire, including adequacy, predilection, enjoyment, and total score.

  Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

Study Arms (2)

Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program (The Movement League)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received an 8-week gamified cooperative exergaming program ("The Movement League") delivered during regular physical education lessons (two 50-minute sessions per week). The intervention integrated dance-based exergames, cooperative learning, gamification, and symbolic rewards to promote motivation, physical activity, and reduce sedentary behavior.

Behavioral: Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program (The Movement League)

Conventional Physical Education

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants received the school's standard physical education curriculum for 8 weeks (two 50-minute sessions per week), using conventional teaching methods and activities without exergames, gamification, or structured cooperative learning components.

Other: Conventional Physical Education

Interventions

Conventional Physical Education OTHER

Participants received the school's standard physical education curriculum for 8 weeks (two 50-minute sessions per week), using conventional teaching methods and activities without exergames, gamification, or structured cooperative learning components.

Conventional Physical Education

Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program (The Movement League) BEHAVIORAL

Participants received an 8-week gamified cooperative exergaming program ("The Movement League") delivered during regular physical education lessons (two 50-minute sessions per week). The intervention integrated dance-based exergames, cooperative learning, gamification, and symbolic rewards to promote motivation, physical activity, and reduce sedentary behavior.

Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program (The Movement League)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 8 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Children aged 8 to 12 years.
• Enrolled in grades 3 to 6 of primary school.
• Able to participate safely in regular physical education classes.
• Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian.
• Verbal assent provided by the participant.

You may not qualify if:

• Physical pathology or medical contraindication preventing safe participation in physical activity.
• Formal diagnosis of severe learning difficulties or developmental disorders.
• Failure to complete the outcome assessments at both baseline and post-intervention.
• Attendance at fewer than 14 of the 16 intervention sessions (less than 85% adherence).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Jaén: lead

Study Sites (1)

Primary school

Jaén, Spain

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2026
• First Posted: July 23, 2026
• Study Start: February 2, 2026
• Primary Completion: March 26, 2026
• Study Completion: April 2, 2026
• Last Updated: July 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Locations

ES (1)