The Effect of HIIT Physical Activity Paths on Disruptive Behaviors of Elementary Aged Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout paths on the frequency of disruptive behaviors with elementary-level students. This study was a quasi-experimental, pre/post-test design that included fourteen third graders in a general educational classroom setting. The participants ranged from ages eight to nine. The null hypothesis stated that there would be no difference between the weekly average numbers of disruptive behaviors when using HIIT physical activity paths or not using HIIT based on a comparison of pre-test/post-test data. The HIIT physical activity paths included five different workouts for children to complete at least three times daily before content instruction. The instrument to track data utilized a weekly tracking sheet to record all identified behavior frequencies. The disruptive behaviors were collected through observation during the pre-test and identified as “hands on others, calling out, talking to others, refusal to do work, hyperactivity, and yelling.” The null hypothesis was rejected as four of the six behaviors exhibited a downward trend when comparing the pre-data to the final Week 6 data collected during the study. Physical activity can be associated with a decline in disruptive behaviors for Grade 3 classrooms similar to the study group.