International Journal of Sport Studies for Health

The Effect of Cooperative Learning-Based Physical Activity on Quality of Life in Male Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study from Iran

Iraj Armandpour iD , Jalal Dehghanizadeh ^* iD , Javier Fernandez-Rio iD

Objective: In the 21st century, students face unprecedented challenges, highlighting the need for innovative educational approaches that promote holistic development and quality of life (QoL). Cooperative learning (CL), with its emphasis on positive interdependence and social interaction, presents a promising alternative to traditional, competitive physical education (PE) methods. However, the specific effects of structured CL-based physical activity on the multi-dimensional QoL of elementary students, particularly from both child and parent perspectives, remain underexplored .To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to examine the effect of a cooperative learning-based physical activity program on the multidimensional quality of life of elementary school students using a dual informant (child and parent) perspective. This study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of a structured CL-based physical activity program versus a traditional PE approach on the QoL of elementary school male students.

Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test control group was employed. Forty 5th-grade male students (Mean age = 10.4 years) from Kermanshah, Iran, were selected through stratified random sampling and randomly assigned to either a CL intervention group (n=20) or a traditional instruction (TI) control group (n=20). Both groups participated in 14 sessions (45 minutes each, twice a week) of their respective programs. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) was used to assess QoL dimensions (physical, emotional, social, and school functioning) from both student and parent perspectives before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) after confirming its statistical assumptions in SPSS version 27

Findings: The CL intervention resulted in statistically significant improvements in all QoL domains from the students' perspective (physical, emotional, social, and school functioning; p<0.05) compared to the TI group. Furthermore, from the parents' perspective, significant improvements were observed in the physical and social domains of their children's QOL (p<0.05).

Conclusion: A structured cooperative learning approach in physical education is significantly more effective than traditional methods in enhancing the multidimensional quality of life of elementary school students. Integrating CL into school PE curricula is recommended as a sustainable strategy to foster students' physical, psychosocial, and educational well-being, aligning with the holistic goals of 21st-century education.

Motor Learning in the Ecological-Dynamic Approach: A Systematic Review

Tiziana D'Isanto iD , Giuseppe Giardullo iD , Pompilio Cusano ^* iD , Manuele Taleb iD , Luca Molinaro iD , Giuseppe Di Lascio iD

Objective: This systematic review aimed to synthesize recent evidence on the ecological dynamics approach in motor learning, with particular attention to its application in sport and educational contexts.

Methods and Materials: The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Scopus and Google Scholar databases were searched for studies published between 2015 and 2024. A total of 4,387 records were identified, and 11 studies were included in the final synthesis. The included literature comprised heterogeneous study designs, including empirical studies and conceptual contributions, addressing technical skill acquisition, adaptability, creativity, perceptual-cognitive development, and pedagogical applications.

Findings: Overall, the findings suggest that ecological dynamics-informed approaches may support adaptive motor learning and functional variability, although conclusions should be interpreted cautiously due to variability in study design and methodological quality.

Conclusion: The results highlight the practical relevance of constraint-based approaches for coaches and physical education teachers, while emphasizing the need for more rigorous and comparable empirical research.

Effects of Pilates Training and Vitamin D Supplementation on BMD, BDNF, and Mineral Status in Women with Osteosarcoma

Asma Taheri ^* iD , Asma Soleimani iD

Objective: Osteosarcoma and its treatment protocols may disrupt bone mineral homeostasis, reduce bone mineral density (BMD), and alter neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week Pilates training program combined with vitamin D supplementation on serum mineral-related biomarkers, BDNF, and BMD in women with osteosarcoma.

Methods and Materials: Fifty women with medically stable osteosarcoma (age: 29.50 ± 0.79 years; BMI: 23.65 kg/m²) participated in this randomized controlled trial. After screening and eligibility assessment, participants were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 10/group): Pilates + vitamin D (ExD), Pilates + placebo (ExP), Pilates only (Ex), vitamin D only (D), and control (CO). The Pilates intervention consisted of supervised sessions three times per week for 8 weeks (24 sessions total). Participants in supplementation groups received 5000 IU vitamin D3 weekly for 8 weeks. Supplement/placebo administration and outcome assessment were blinded.

Findings: Eight weeks of combined Pilates and vitamin D supplementation were associated with significant improvements in serum calcium (p = 0.003), magnesium (p = 0.002), phosphorus (p = 0.01), BDNF (p = 0.01), and BMD (p = 0.01) compared with control conditions. Post-hoc analyses indicated that the ExD group demonstrated greater improvements than control and single-intervention groups (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion: Combined Pilates training and vitamin D supplementation may improve serum mineral-related biomarkers, BDNF, and BMD-related outcomes in women with osteosarcoma. Larger and longer-term studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

Effects of Different Rest-Time Models on Neuromuscular and Performance Outcomes during Short High-Intensity Interval Training in Male Soccer Players

Reza Abedinpour ^* iD , Hadi Nobari iD

Objective: Short-interval high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is widely used in soccer conditioning, yet it remains unclear whether distributing recovery periods differently within a session influences neuromuscular and performance adaptations. This study compared ascending, descending, and constant rest-time models during short-interval HIIT in semi-professional male soccer players.

Methods: Twenty-four players were stratified by playing position and randomly allocated to ascending-rest (A-HIIT), descending-rest (D-HIIT), or constant-rest (C-HIIT) groups (n = 8 each). Participants completed eight preseason HIIT sessions, performed twice weekly. Each session comprised two sets of seven 30-s shuttle-running bouts prescribed relative to individual 30–15 Intermittent Fitness Test velocity. Recovery duration increased progressively in A-HIIT, decreased progressively in D-HIIT, and remained constant in C-HIIT, while total work and recovery time were matched across protocols. Countermovement jump (CMJ), 30-m sprint, 5-0-5 change-of-direction (COD), and Wingate peak power were assessed before and after training. Within-group changes were analysed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and between-group differences in change scores using Kruskal–Wallis tests, with Holm correction for multiple comparisons.

Results: All participants completed the intervention, although valid observations varied by outcome because of incomplete or unusable post-intervention data. Before correction, nominally significant within-group changes were observed for CMJ height, sprint time, right- and left-leg COD times, and Wingate peak power (unadjusted p = 0.012–0.046). These changes reflected an improvement only in CMJ height in D-HIIT; the significant sprint, COD, and Wingate changes represented performance decrements. However, none remained statistically significant after Holm correction (adjusted p = 0.180–0.460). No significant between-group differences were found for any outcome (p = 0.191–0.914).

Conclusion: Ascending, descending, and constant recovery distributions produced limited and broadly comparable neuromuscular and performance responses, with no evidence that any protocol was superior. Given the small sample, short intervention, and absence of a non-HIIT control group, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis-generating.

Structural Relationships Between Physical Education Course Happiness, Peer Relationships, and School Satisfaction: A Mediation Model Analysis

Mehmet Akarsu iD , İsmail İLBAK ^* iD , Mehmet Güllü iD , Zeliha Akarsu iD , Talip Çelik iD , Ratko Pavlović iD , Nikola Radulović iD , Ilona Mihajlović iD

Objective: The emotional and social processes students experience in school life, beyond their academic performance, are fundamental components of their overall well-being. Physical education classes provide a unique learning environment with opportunities for positive emotions, social interaction, and peer relationships, contributing to students’ broader school experiences. However, the social processes underlying the association between happiness experienced in physical education classes and school satisfaction remain insufficiently understood. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between physical education course happiness and school satisfaction among middle school students and investigated whether peer relationships statistically mediated this association.

Methods and Materials: We used a correlational design with 614 volunteer students aged 10–15 years from four middle schools in Malatya, Türkiye. Physical education course happiness was specified as the predictor, school satisfaction as the outcome, and peer relationships as the mediator.

Findings: The findings revealed significant positive direct associations between physical education course happiness and peer relationships (β = .268, p < .001) and between physical education course happiness and school satisfaction (β = .124, p < .001), as well as a significant positive association between peer relationships and school satisfaction (β = .462, p < .001). Furthermore, the indirect association between physical education course happiness and school satisfaction through peer relationships was statistically significant (β = .124, p < .001), while the total association was also positive and significant (β = .248, p < .001). The proposed model explained 25.9% of the variance in school satisfaction.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that greater happiness in physical education is associated with higher school satisfaction both directly and indirectly through more positive peer relationships. Given the cross-sectional correlational design, these pathways should be interpreted as statistical associations rather than evidence of causal relationships.

Evaluation of Parents' Perceptions Regarding the Contribution of Physical Education Lessons to Social Development: The Case of Bartın

Selime Ela Mekeç iD , Pınar Çelebi Demirarslan ^* iD , Farhad Jalalov iD

Objective: Parents' views on the educational process offer a significant perspective for understanding the educational and social functions of physical education classes, which are not reduced solely to physical activity. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of parents of students taking physical education (PE) classes regarding the contributions of these classes to their children's social development and to examine whether these perceptions differ according to the sociodemographic characteristics of the parents.

Methods and Materials: The study was planned in two phases. The first phase of the study was carried out in Bartın, Türkiye, and the second phase will be conducted later as a secondary study in Baku, Azerbaijan. In this first phase, 226 participants living in Bartin were administered the Perceived Social Development Scale for Physical Education Lessons (PSDSPEL), a 15-item, 5-point Likert-type scale, with their sociodemographic information. The data obtained were analyzed using the Jamovi 2.

Findings: The results of Bartın phase showed that parents generally have a positive perception of PE classes in terms of their contribution to students' social development. The most significant finding is that parent perception scores differed significantly according to educational levels of parents, with parents holding a university degree scoring particularly high. Additionally, parent perception did not differ based on gender or the number of children.

Conclusion: The findings revealed that in Bartın, parents consider PE classes an important educational environment for their children's development of their social skills, including adaptation to society, cooperation, responsibility, interpersonal relationships, and social abilities rather than physical development. The findings suggest that parents perceive PE classes as an educational environment that may contribute to their children's social development and that these perceived contributions should be considered in the pedagogical planning of PE classes.

Pre-to-Post Changes in Planned Change-of-Direction and Sprint Performance Following Eight Weeks of Adaptive Footwork Training in SL3 and SL4 Para-Badminton Athletes: A Preliminary Single-Group Study

Hedi Ardiyanto Hermawan ^* iD , sigit nugroho iD , Rezha Arzhan Hidayat iD , Fadli Ihsan iD , Ikhsan kurniawan iD , Zarizi Ab Rahman iD

Objective: Evidence on structured footwork training in standing lower-limb para-badminton athletes remains limited, particularly across SL3 and SL4 classifications. This preliminary exploratory study examined pre-to-post changes in planned change-of-direction and sprint performance following an eight-week adaptive footwork training programme and explored whether response patterns differed between SL3 and SL4 athletes.

Methods: Sixteen provincial-level para-badminton athletes (SL3, n = 8; SL4, n = 8) completed a single-group pretest–posttest intervention consisting of 24 sessions over eight weeks (three sessions/week). Planned change-of-direction performance was assessed using the T-test, and linear sprint performance was assessed using the 20-m sprint test. Paired-samples t-tests, Cohen’s dz, percentage change, and 2 × 2 mixed-design ANOVA (Time × Sport Classification) were used.

Results: T-test completion time decreased from 16.06 ± 0.52 to 15.50 ± 0.50 s (3.53%; p < 0.001; dz = 3.63), while 20-m sprint time decreased from 6.07 ± 0.70 to 5.54 ± 0.51 s (8.69%; p < 0.001; dz = 1.76). The Time × Classification interaction was not significant for T-test performance (p = 0.292) but was significant for sprint performance (p = 0.004), with a larger reduction in SL3 than SL4 athletes. Training adherence was high (95.50 ± 3.54%).

Conclusion: Lower post-intervention T-test and sprint times were observed following the programme, with a preliminary classification-related sprint pattern. Because of the single-group design, small sample, and exploratory subgroup analyses, these findings should not be interpreted as definitive evidence of causal intervention efficacy.

Methods: Sixteen athletes (SL3, n = 8; SL4, n = 8; age 24.44 ± 4.63 years) completed a single-group pretest–posttest intervention of 24 sessions (three/week, eight weeks) combining closed, pre-planned agility exercises (shadow footwork, explosive net approach) with open, reactive speed exercises (coach-cued ring sprints, a racket-based backward-smash-to-net lob). Agility and speed were assessed (T-test; 20-m sprint) at baseline and post-intervention, using paired t-tests and a 2×2 mixed-design ANOVA (Time × Classification). Results: Adherence was high (95.50 ± 3.54%). Agility time decreased from 16.06 ± 0.52 to 15.50 ± 0.50 s (Δ = 0.57 s, 95% CI [0.48, 0.65], t(15) = 14.54, p < .001, dz = 3.63); 20-m sprint decreased from 6.07 ± 0.70 to 5.54 ± 0.51 s (Δ = 0.53 s, 95% CI [0.37, 0.69], t(15) = 7.03, p < .001, dz = 1.76). The Time × Classification interaction was non-significant for agility (F(1,14) = 1.20, p = .292, ηp² = .079) but significant for sprint (F(1,14) = 11.62, p = .004, ηp² = .454), with SL3 improving more (0.72 s) than SL4 (0.33 s). Conclusion: An eight-week adaptive footwork program improved agility and sprint performance in standing lower para-badminton athletes, with a differential sprint response by classification. Given the single-group design, findings should be regarded as preliminary pending controlled replication.

Effects of a Hybrid Immersive Virtual Reality and Conventional Football Training Program on Passing Performance, Decision-Making, and Game Performance in Undergraduate Physical Education Students

Amir Supriadi ^* iD , Francis Ries iD , Serhii Kozin iD , Muhammad Reza Destya iD

Background: Immersive virtual reality may provide representative and controllable opportunities for football decision practice, but its contribution cannot be inferred when it replaces rather than supplements conventional field training. This trial compared a hybrid immersive-VR and conventional football program with a time-matched conventional program in undergraduate physical education students.

Materials and Methods: Seventy-two undergraduate students were randomized to either a hybrid training group (n = 36), which completed 30 minutes of conventional football practice followed by 30 minutes of immersive VR-based perception–action training per session, or a control group (n = 36), which completed 60 minutes of conventional football practice. Both groups trained three times weekly for eight weeks (24 scheduled sessions). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at a four-week follow-up using Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT) completion time, decision-making accuracy and reaction time, and the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI). Intrinsic motivation was assessed only after the intervention using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI).

Results: Significant Group × Time interactions were observed for LSPT completion time (F = 438.08, p < .001, ηp² = .862), decision-making accuracy (F = 715.31, p < .001, ηp² = .911), decision-making reaction time (F = 845.37, p < .001, ηp² = .924), and GPAI scores (F = 441.55, p < .001, ηp² = .863). These interactions indicate that outcome trajectories differed between the hybrid and conventional training packages; they do not isolate a VR-specific effect. Mean performance values in the hybrid group remained close to post-intervention levels at the four-week follow-up; Bonferroni-adjusted post-intervention versus follow-up contrasts indicated small changes across the four-week follow-up, with 95% confidence intervals reported in Table 8. The hybrid group also reported higher post-intervention IMI scores than the control group (p < .001, Cohen’s d = 3.08); because IMI was not assessed at baseline, this finding represents a post-intervention group difference rather than a demonstrated improvement in motivation.

Conclusions: A time-matched hybrid curriculum was associated with different trajectories in the reported performance outcomes compared with conventional practice alone. The trial evaluates the complete hybrid package and does not establish an independent VR effect. The four-week observations suggest short-term persistence, although unmeasured football and physical activity during the follow-up interval limit interpretation as definitive motor-learning retention.

International Journal of Sport Studies for Health

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Motor Learning in the Ecological-Dynamic Approach: A Systematic Review

Effects of Pilates Training and Vitamin D Supplementation on BMD, BDNF, and Mineral Status in Women with Osteosarcoma

Effects of Different Rest-Time Models on Neuromuscular and Performance Outcomes during Short High-Intensity Interval Training in Male Soccer Players

Structural Relationships Between Physical Education Course Happiness, Peer Relationships, and School Satisfaction: A Mediation Model Analysis

Evaluation of Parents' Perceptions Regarding the Contribution of Physical Education Lessons to Social Development: The Case of Bartın

Analysis of the Use of Video Challenge Systems in Volleyball at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games

The Effect of Cooperative Learning-Based Physical Activity on Quality of Life in Male Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study from Iran

Digital Gaming Behavior Among University Students: Interactions of Attitudes, Motivation, and Addiction Awareness Across Demographic Factors

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The Effect of Cooperative Learning-Based Physical Activity on Quality of Life in Male Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study from Iran

Motor Learning in the Ecological-Dynamic Approach: A Systematic Review

Effects of Pilates Training and Vitamin D Supplementation on BMD, BDNF, and Mineral Status in Women with Osteosarcoma

Effects of Different Rest-Time Models on Neuromuscular and Performance Outcomes during Short High-Intensity Interval Training in Male Soccer Players

Structural Relationships Between Physical Education Course Happiness, Peer Relationships, and School Satisfaction: A Mediation Model Analysis

Evaluation of Parents' Perceptions Regarding the Contribution of Physical Education Lessons to Social Development: The Case of Bartın

Pre-to-Post Changes in Planned Change-of-Direction and Sprint Performance Following Eight Weeks of Adaptive Footwork Training in SL3 and SL4 Para-Badminton Athletes: A Preliminary Single-Group Study

Effects of a Hybrid Immersive Virtual Reality and Conventional Football Training Program on Passing Performance, Decision-Making, and Game Performance in Undergraduate Physical Education Students