The Relationship between Physical Exercise and Sense of Coherence among Rural Left-behind Children of China_Vol. 2 No. 3 (JMHS 2024)_Journal of Medicine and Health Science (ISSN: 2959-0639)

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The Relationship between Physical Exercise and Sense of Coherence among Rural Left-behind Children of China

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jmhs.202405321

Author(s)

Menglong Li, Yujia Ren

Affiliation(s)

Physical Education Institute, Hunan First Normal University, Changsha, China

Abstract

Sense of coherence (SOC) plays an important role in maintaining individual mental health. However, the impact of physical exercise on the SOC of rural left-behind children remains unclear. This study intends to address the status of physical exercise and SOC in rural left-behind children and analyze the relationship between the two. A random cluster sampling method was employed to investigate 804 students from grades 3-9 in Hunan Province, utilizing a physical activity rating scale and a sense of coherence scale. 18.9% of the rural left-behind children engaged in high activity. Boys scored higher than girls in terms of exercise intensity, duration, frequency, and total physical exercise score (P<0.01). The SOC score of rural left-behind children was 34.65±14.91, with boys scoring higher than girls (P=0.001). A positive correlation existed between physical exercise and the total score and three dimensions of SOC (P<0.01). Physical exercise is an effective way to enhance SOC among rural left-behind children. This finding provides a new approach for improving the SOC of left-behind children.

Keywords

Left-Behind Children; Physical Exercise; Mental Health; Sense of Coherence

References

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