Attitude Toward
Physical Education of Urban
High School Students
Howard Z. Zeng1
Raymond W. Leung1, Michael Hipscher1
Wenhao Liu2 and Phil Sylvester3
1Brooklyn
College, CUNY, NY.
2Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA.
3Public H.S. 440, Bayard Rustin Educational Complex, New York, NY.
1
Introduction and Background -1
 Since 1990, there has been an increase in the
body of knowledge in students’ attitudes
toward physical education/activity (ATPEA).
The increased interest in this topic may be
attributed by the influence of attitudes toward
further participation in physical activities after
school (Ennis, 1996; Papaioannou, 1994; Subramaniam
& Silverman, 2000; 2007; Tannehill, & Zakrajsek, 1993)
and out of school that related to students’
achievement in athletic activities (Graham, 1995;
Lee, 1997; Silverman, 1993; Subramaniam & Silverman,
2000; 2007).
2
Introduction and Background -2
 Researchers reported that enjoyment in
physical education and activities appear to
associate with school children (Stucky-Ropp &
DiLorenzo, 1993).
 Students who hate physical
education/activity (PEA) classes, may select
to avoid further participation in physical
activities in their daily life (Carlson, 1995;
Portman, 1995).
 Researchers, however, found that students
tend to participate in physical activities
continually when they feel have fun and
enjoy its (Silverman and Subramaniam, 1999).
3
Introduction and Background -3
 Gender differences in ATPEA were reported in the
research for this topic, for example:
 Greenwood and Stillwell (2001) reported that boys
demonstrated strong interests in archery, bowling,
flag football, and wrestling, whereas girls preferred
gymnastics, softball, and volleyball.
 Boys were reported to have more positive attitudes
than girls toward physical activities bringing them
risk-taking experiences and reducing stress,
whereas girls were more positive than boys in
physical activities with beautiful and graceful
movements (Colley, Comber, & Hargreaves, 1994; Hicks,
Wiggins, Crist, & Moode, 2001; Parkhurst, 2000).
4
Introduction and Background -4
 Subramanian and
Silverman (2002),
however, did not find
gender difference in
attitudes toward physical
education and activities
between boys and girls
although they were found
to possess moderate
positive attitudes.
5
Introduction and Background -5
 Concerning the studies that dealt with
children’s physical activity levels, researchers
have addressed that children’s attitudes
toward physical activity was relatively scant,
and most research targeted elementary
school children (Subramaniam & Silverman, 2000;
2007).
6
Introduction and Background -6
 Researcher indicated that children at
elementary schools tend to report inflated
physical activity abilities, interests, and
attitudes due to their limited developmental
ability of self-evaluation (Subramaniam &
Silverman, 2000; 2007).
 Secondary school children’s self-reports,
however, would be more realistic (Lee,
2004). Thus, it would be important to
examine high school students’ ATPEA.
7
Purpose
 The purpose of this study
was to investigate the
attitude toward physical
education (ATPE) and
sports/activities
preference of high school
students in urban public
schools.
8
Methods - 1
 Participants were 589
grades 9-12 high school
students (354 boys and
235 girls) aged 16.80 ±
1.60 years from a public
school district in New
York City.
9
Methods -2
 These students
participated in
physical education
(PE) programs
governed by the
state and the school
district, once per day
and five days per
week.
10
Methods -3
 An adapted version of the
Physical Education Activity
Attitude Scale (PEAAS)
originally developed by Valdez
(1998) was administered to
the participants. The PEAAS
possesses 20 items with 5point Likert-type scales.
11
Methods -4
 Responses to the items result in
PEAAS scores ranging from 20 to
100: scores 20-40 indicate
negative ATPE; scores 41-60
indicate neutral ATPE; and scores
61-80 indicate positive ATPE.
Additionally, a Sports/Activities
Preference Questionnaire was
also administered to the
participants.
12
Analysis/Results -1
 Results showed that the mean PEAAS score
over the 20 items was 68.26 ± 9.94,
indicating participants' overall positive ATPE.
The three items with the highest scores
were: PE is the best way to obtain a young
looking and agile body (M = 78.20 ±
17.42); being serious about PE is smart (M
= 76.74 ± 19.48); and PE benefits those
who regularly participate in it (M = 76.60 ±
20.68).
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Analysis/Results -2
 As for sports preference, 65.4% of the
participants preferred team sports;
19.5% preferred individual sports; and
15.1% preferred dual-game sports.
 As for activities preference, 29.5% of the
participants favored weight-lifting;
29.4% favored aerobic exercise; 19.5%
favored dance; 13.6% favored outdoor
adventure; and 8.0 % favored martial
arts.
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Analysis/Results -3
 The multivariate analysis of variance
results indicated that significant (p <
.01) differences in PEAAS scores
existed in specific items with respect
to gender, social economic status
(SES), and sports preference:
 (a) males scored higher than females
regarding their enjoyment of
strenuous exercises;
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Analysis/Results -4
 (b) individuals of high social
economy status (SES)
scored lower than those of
low SES in believing the
scientific base of PE; and (c)
team-sport players scored
higher than both individualsport and dual-game sport
players in believing that
exercise could relieve stress.
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Conclusions -1
 In conclusion, the
participants in this
study appear to
possess positive ATPE.
 As for sport/activities
preference, the
participants tend to be
in favor of team sports
and a variety of
activities.
17
Conclusions -2
 Gender, SES, and
sports preference
appear to be the
factors that most
influence the ATPEA
of this sample of
urban high school
students.
18
Selected References
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Council
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Matton, L., Thomis, M., Wijndaele, K., Duvigneaud, N., Beunen, G., Claessens, A. L., et al.
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McKenzie, T. L., Sallis, J. F., Prochaska, J. J., Conway, T. L., Marshall, S. J., & Rosengard, P.
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http://en.wikipwdia.org/w/index.php?title=New_York_City_DOE_Region8&redirct=no
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education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23, 602-611.
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