Playworks showed significant impact on some measures of girls' physical activity but no significant impact on measures of boys' physical activity¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r? · q3
Currency · newest study 2015 · checked against its sources 2026-10-16 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Across accelerometer and observational measures, the trial's overall pattern was significant impact on some girls' physical activity measures and no significant impact on boys' measures. → Martha Bleeker 2015

Evidence¶

Martha Bleeker 2015¶

Martha Bleeker, Nicholas Beyler, Susanne James-Burdumy, Jane Fortson. (2015). The Impact of Playworks on Boys' and Girls' Physical Activity During Recess. Journal of School Health, vol. 85, no. 3. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/the-impact-of-playworks-on-boys-and-girls-physical-activity-during-recess

q3 · i? · causal · r?

Summary finding of the 29-school randomized evaluation, in which impacts were estimated separately for girls and boys using regression models on accelerometer and recess-observation data. The article reports the gender-differential pattern as its overall conclusion, with no printed effect sizes.

"The current findings suggest that Playworks had a significant impact on some measures of girls’ physical activity, but no significant impact on measures of boys’ physical activity."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Gender — moderator: an instructional effect differs by group
• Physical Well-Being — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• GenAI function, intervention duration, publication year, and gender were not significant moderators of GenAI's motivational effect — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• No significant accelerometer-based differences in physical activity were found for boys in Playworks schools compared with control schools — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Girls in Playworks schools had significantly higher accelerometer intensity counts and spent more time in vigorous physical activity than girls in control schools — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Girls in Playworks schools were less likely to be sedentary and more likely to engage in jumping, tag, and playground games during recess — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• In a randomized controlled trial, children in Playworks schools spent more time in vigorous physical activity at recess than students at non-Playworks schools, and more teachers in Playworks schools reported students engaged in intense recess activity — related
• Increases in the percentage of students in the Harlem Fitness Zone were generally larger for boys than for girls — related
• Teachers in Playworks schools reported significantly better student behavior at recess and readiness for class — related
• Most teachers, students, and principals reported positive perceptions of the Playworks program — related
• Students in Playworks schools reported better behavior and attention in class after sports, games, and play — related
• The wellbeing effects of school-led nature interventions show a gender effect, with girls benefiting in PA in some studies, but inconclusive findings for age — related