Teachers’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators of the school environment for physical activity in schoolchildren: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT

A qualitative study based on grounded theory was carried out to analyse the facilitators and barriers of the school environment for physical activity (PA) perceived by teachers at schools in Cuenca and Ciudad Real (Castilla La Mancha-Spain). The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Three themes were identified, 1) facilitators and 2) barriers to PA and 3) initiatives to promote PA among school children. Facilitators were teachers’ positive attitudes, the benefits attributed to their practice, teachers’ support for the activities and being specialised in physical education, considering the school as a good place to promote physical activity, facilitating elements of the curriculum and the built environment, support from the management team and organised breaks. Barriers were teachers who fail to support activities, reasons for not doing movement activities in class, devaluation of physical education, differences of opinion among teachers on the amount of physical education to be done, hindering factors in the curriculum, the built environment and classroom organisation, and unfavourable weather conditions. Raising awareness of the importance of PA, increasing the number of physical education and psychomotor skills sessions, training teachers in the use of active methodologies and organising reduced-cost or free extracurricular activities are essential steps to promote PA among schoolchildren in the school environment. It is important that the initiatives established to promote PA not only focus on establishing programmes that aim to increase the practice of PA among schoolchildren, but also to overcome barriers in the school environment, so that greater importance is given to the school elements that facilitate PA.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical activity
• schoolchild
• schoolteachers
• perceptions
• attitude
• interviews
• qualitative research

Acknowledgments

Our sincere gratitude to all the schools and teachers for their time and for sharing their insights and experiences with us.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the the Research Network on Preventative Activities and Health Promotion [RD12/0005/0009]; Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness Carlos III Health Institute and FEDER funds [FIS PI12/00761].

Notes on contributors

Vanesa Alcántara-Porcuna

Vanesa Alcántara-Porcuna has a degree in Occupational Therapy and in Social and Cultural Anthropology. She also has a master’s degree in social and health research. She is currently studying for a PhD in social and health research and physical activity and is an assistant professor at the University of Castilla la Mancha. Her interests focus on physical activity in childhood and the study of occupational science in mental health

Mairena Sánchez-López

Mairena Sánchez-López, PhD, has a degree in Physical Activity and Sport Science. She is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the Castilla-La Mancha University (Spain) and a consolidated researcher of the Health and Social Research Center. His main line of research focuses on the promotion of physical activity in the school environment

María Martínez-Andrés

María Martínez-Andrés is a PhD in Health and Social Research, a MSc in Health and Social Research and a BSc in Political Sciences. She is Attended Professor of “Cultural Diversity and Social Inequality in Health” at the University of Castilla- La Mancha (UCLM) (Faculty of Nursing) and researcher at Health and Social Research Centre (CESS) (UCLM). Her work has focused on Quality of Life, Obesity and Public Health, and has experience in qualitative and quantitative researches. She has been part of teams in national and international researches and has written several scientific articles

Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno

Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno, MD, PhD, is a senior research who leads the Health and Social Research Center. He is also the coordinator of the PhD program on Health and Physical Activity Research. He has been principal investigator of more than 15 projects obtained in national and international competitive calls. As a result of these projects, he has published more than 270 scientific articles, most of them addressing issues about the relationship between physical activity and health

Abel Ruíz-Hermosa

Abel Ruíz-Hermosa is a graduate degree in Primary Education Teaching (Physical Education) and Infant Education Teaching, and is PhD in Social and Health Care Research and Physical Activity from UCLM. Currently, he is a postdoctoral researcher at the UCLM (Faculty of Sports Sciences) and belong to the research group of Health and Social Research Center. Abel does research in public health, education, and the promotion of physical activity in children.

Beatriz Rodríguez-Martín

Beatriz Rodríguez-Martín, MSc, Ph.D. in Health and Social Research, BSc in Social-Cultural Anthropology and Registered Nurse. She is an Associated Professor of Gerontology and Research Methods at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Faculty of Health Sciences) and researcher at Health and Social Research Centre University of Castilla-La Mancha. She has been collaborator research of more than 1o projects obtained in national and international competitive calls. As a result of these projects, he has published more than 40 scientific articles, most of them focused on Qualitative Research in Health, Physical Activity and Health, Individualised Care, Patient Health Experience, and Health Promotion.