Fysisk aktivitet och koncentrationsförmåga bland gymnasieelever : En kvantitativ jämförelse mellan yrkesförberedande och högskoleförberedande program

Sammanfattning

Background: Previous research has shown that physical activity has positive effects on both physical and mental health, as well as on various cognitive functions such as attention and concentration. Despite this, research on the relationship between physical activity and self-rated concentration ability among upper secondary school students in a Swedish context is limited. Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the extent to which upper secondary school students rate themselves as physically active, how they rate their concentration ability, and to analyze whether there is a relationship between these aspects. The study also aims to compare these aspects between students enrolled in vocational programs and those in university preparatory programs. Method: The study was conducted as a quantitative cross-sectional study with data collected through a questionnaire. A total of 129 upper secondary school students in grades 2 and 3 from a school in central Sweden participated. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as correlation and comparative analyses in the statistical software SPSS. Results: The results show that the majority of the students rate themselves as physically active and perceive their concentration ability as relatively good. The correlation analysis shows a very weak positive relationship between physical activity and concentration ability (rho = 0,075), which was not statistically significant (p = 0,402). The comparison between students in vocational and university preparatory programs showed no statistically significant differences regarding physical activity or concentration ability. At the same time, a large proportion of students report that they perceive physical activity to have a positive effect on their concentration. Conclusion: The study did not demonstrate any statistically significant relationship between physical activity and concentration ability among upper secondary school students. The relationship can be understood as complex and influenced by multiple interacting factors. The study can contribute to increased knowledge about upper secondary school students’ lifestyle habits and highlights the need for further research in this area. Keywords: Concentration ability, Physical activity, Public health, Quantitative study, Upper secondary students