ALCs show sex-differentiated effects on mental health: improvements in girls, no improvement or worsening in boys¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Two studies found improved school well-being and mental health in girls in ALCs, but not in boys, with boys showing worse internalising problems in one study. → Sánchez-López M 2025

Evidence¶

Sánchez-López M 2025¶

Sánchez-López M, Violero-Mellado J, Martínez-Vizcaíno V, Laukkanen A, Sääkslahti A, Visier-Alfonso ME. (2025). Impact and perceptions of Active Learning Classrooms on reducing sedentary behaviour and improving physical and mental health and academic indicators in children and adolescents: A scoping review. PLoS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317973

q2 · i? · review · r3

Review synthesis of two studies using the BASC-3 questionnaire; the review reports improvements in girls only, and one study found worse internalising problems, inattention/hyperactivity and emotional symptoms in boys.

"One showed that girls attending classes with flexible furniture improved their school well-being and mental health (<internalising problems, inattention/hyperactivity, and emotional symptoms) compared to girls who attended traditional classrooms, but these differences were not observed in boys [20]."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Gender — moderator: an instructional effect differs by group

Related Claims¶

• Effects of ALCs on physical activity are mixed, with some studies showing lower PA in ALCs than traditional classrooms — related
• ALC interventions have no observed effect on adiposity and no clear negative effect on musculoskeletal pain — related