Implementation of school-based physical activity interventions in secondary school: facilitators and barriers

IntroductionThe school environment is identified as a privileged place to offer a variety of interventions targeting youth physical activity (McMullen et al., 2015). According to several authors, these interventions must be... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction

The school environment is identified as a privileged place to offer a variety of interventions targeting youth physical activity (McMullen et al., 2015). According to several authors, these interventions must be part of a school-based vision that relies on a multicomponent approach (CDC, 2017; Naylor et al., 2015). Although there is strong evidence for whole school multicomponent interventions, many barriers threaten the promotion of physical activity in schools (Naylor & McKay, 2009). It seems that there is a significant need for more research on the implementation of school-based physical activity interventions (Naylor et al., 2015; Siedentop, 2009). The purpose of this study is to identify perceived facilitators as well as barriers to the implementation of structuring measures fostering interventions aimed at increasing school-based physical activity among secondary school students.

Methods

Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with secondary school principals, stakeholders and teachers, school board administrators, and parents. Then, focus groups were conducted with stakeholders and teachers from the same educational institution. Content analysis was performed using an inductive approach.

Results

Perceived facilitators and barriers are varied and diverse in addition to corresponding to different levels, such as institutional, teacher-related, and student-related, among others (Kohl III & Cook, 2013). These results question the structuring measures to be favoured in order to foster the implementation of interventions targeting the promotion of physical activity in secondary schools. These measures should guide the development and implementation of new service offerings and promote the complementarity of existing ones. Also, the findings highlighted a number of issues regarding the implementation of a multi-component approach in the effective promotion of physical activity. Based on our results, important questions about physical activity promotion in secondary school will arise.