The emotional benefits of the motor activity in developmental age

Abstract

Introduction: Scanlan and Simons (1992), define the “enjoyment” in the sport as a positive affective answer toward the sporting experience. It is important to conceive the reasons of the pleasure in the motor activities, because this would help the researchers to elaborate strategies of intervention more and more effective that keeps in mind of the individuals. The objective of the search is to understand if the motor activity is appreciate by children and if it offers benefits. The intervention on the field is developed with the CSI (Centro Sportivo Italiano) of Cava de’ Tirreni (SA), that it has organized a project of motor activity, having involved children since 7 to 11 years old, among which also of the disabled persons. The search has been divided in three phases: Theoretical-practice phase, where a circle time has been organized to forming the children to the emotions, to differentiate and recognize them. Then, with a questionnaire, information are picked up respect the emotional state of departure: the children have individualized the image of the emotion that more it represented them. Practice phase, where the boys have developed motor activity (games, crossed motor). Conclusive phase, where they have been picked the impressions just tried by children respect the motor activity turn. The search is concluded administering the PACES test (Phisycal Activity Enjoyment Scale, Kendzierski & De Carlo, 1991), tool used for the evaluation of the motor activity. The result has been that following the motor activity the positive emotions are increased tried by children, while the negative emotions result redoubts and/or repressed. Examining the obtained data, the majority of the children appreciate the motor activity, has lived himself pleasantly and offers them positive benefits. From the search an objective for the future could be characterized: to induce the children to regularly practice motor activity because in degree to arouse positive emotions and to guarantee psycho-physical comfort.