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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07452302

Mixed PE Program Using Sports Games and Ball Sports in Left-Behind Children

This randomized controlled trial evaluates whether a 12-week school-based physical education program that combines cooperative sports games and ball sports can improve mental health and physical fitness in rural left-behind children. Left-behind children are those who remain in rural areas while one or both parents migrate for work. These children may experience social and emotional challenges in addition to physical health concerns.

Forty sixth-grade boarding students who met the criteria for left-behind children were randomly assigned to either a mixed training group or a usual physical education control group. The intervention was delivered during regular school physical education classes three times per week, 90 minutes per session, for 12 weeks. Each session included cooperative physical games designed to promote peer interaction, followed by structured soccer or basketball training activities.

Mental health was assessed using the Mental Health Test (MHT), and physical fitness was evaluated using standardized school-based tests including lung function, running performance, flexibility, and coordination. Outcomes were measured before and after the intervention.

The study aims to determine whether optimizing the structure of routine school physical education can provide a feasible and scalable strategy to support both psychological well-being and physical development in vulnerable child populations.

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Key information

Conditions

Mental Health Behavior Left-Behind Children Personal Satisfaction Physical Fitness Psychological Well-Being

Age range

12 year–13 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Rural Primary School in J County

Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China

About this study

This study is a single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial conducted in a rural primary boarding school in China. The objective was to evaluate the effects of a structured 12-week mixed physical education intervention integrating cooperative sports games and ball sports on mental health and physical fitness in left-behind children.

Eligible participants were sixth-grade students who had been separated from one or both parents for more than six months and met the study's screening criteria for left-behind children. After baseline assessment, participants were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either the mixed training group (MTG) or the control group (CONG) using block randomization (block size = 4) with allocation concealment via sequentially numbered opaque sealed envelopes. Outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment.

The intervention was delivered within the routine physical education curriculum (three sessions per week, 90 minutes per session, for 12 weeks). Each session included: (1) a 20-25 minute cooperative game segment emphasizing social interaction and group participation; (2) a 55-60 minute structured soccer or basketball training segment with progressive skill development and small-sided games; and (3) a brief cool-down period. Exercise intensity was staged using target heart rate zones corresponding to approximately 60-85% of age-predicted maximal heart rate.

The primary outcome measure was the total score of the Mental Health Test (MHT). Secondary outcomes included MHT subscales and standardized physical fitness indicators (vital capacity, 50-m dash, 8×50-m shuttle run, rope skipping, sit-ups, sit-and-reach, and body mass index). All outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately post-intervention.

Data were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance to assess group, time, and interaction effects. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the institutional ethics committee.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Aged 12 to 13 years
  • Enrolled in the sixth grade of the participating rural primary school
  • Classified as left-behind children, defined as separation from one or both parents for more than six months due to parental migration for work
  • Boarding-school students during the study period
  • Provided written informed consent from legal guardians and written assent from the child

Exclusion criteria

  • Children from single-parent families or orphans
  • Presence of physical, neurological, or medical conditions that would limit participation in regular physical activity
  • Participation in any structured extracurricular physical training program during the study period

Treatment and study plan

Mixed Physical Education Program

Behavioral

Participants received a structured 12-week school-based physical education program delivered three times per week (90 minutes per session). Each session included a cooperative sports game component (20-25 minutes) designed to promote peer interaction and social engagement, followed by structured soccer or basketball training (55-60 minutes) with progressive skill development and small-sided games. Exercise intensity was staged to achieve approximately 60-85% of age-predicted maximal heart rate. The intervention was implemented within the regular school physical education curriculum.

Usual Physical Education

Behavioral

Participants followed the standard school physical education curriculum for 12 weeks, consisting primarily of calisthenics and general physical fitness activities. The curriculum did not include structured cooperative sports games or systematic soccer or basketball training as provided in the experimental intervention.

Primary outcomes

  1. Mental Health Test (MHT) Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    The Mental Health Test (MHT) is a standardized self-report instrument used to assess psychological status in school-aged children. The total score reflects overall psychological difficulty, with higher scores indicating greater levels of psychological problems.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Interpersonal Anxiety (MHT Subscale Score)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Interpersonal Anxiety is a subscale of the Mental Health Test (MHT) assessing social anxiety and interpersonal stress. Higher scores indicate greater levels of interpersonal anxiety.

  2. Self-Blame Tendency (MHT Subscale Score)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Self-Blame Tendency is a subscale of the Mental Health Test (MHT) evaluating self-directed negative attribution patterns. Higher scores indicate greater self-blame.

  3. Vital Capacity (mL)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Vital capacity measured in milliliters using standardized school-based pulmonary function testing procedures.

  4. 50-Meter Dash Time (seconds)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Time required to complete a 50-meter sprint, recorded in seconds.

  5. 8×50-Meter Shuttle Run Time (seconds)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Total time required to complete eight 50-meter shuttle runs, recorded in seconds.

  6. Rope Skipping Performance (repetitions per minute)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Number of rope skipping repetitions completed within one minute.

  7. Sit-Ups Performance (repetitions per minute)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Number of sit-ups completed within one minute.

  8. Sit-and-Reach Distance (centimeters)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Maximum forward reach distance measured in centimeters using a standardized sit-and-reach test.

  9. Body Mass Index (kg/m²)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 12 (Immediately Post-Intervention)

    Body mass index calculated from measured height and weight (kg/m²).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Anhui Normal University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A 12-Week School-Based Mixed Physical Education Intervention Combining Cooperative Sports Games and Ball Sports to Improve Mental Health and Physical Fitness in Rural Left-Behind Children

Acronym: MIXPE-LBC

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Mar 5, 2026
Registry last updated
Mar 5, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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