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For Better or Worse? The Effects of Physical Education on Child Development

Author

Listed:
  • Knaus, Michael C.

    (University of Tübingen)

  • Lechner, Michael

    (University of St. Gallen)

  • Reimers, Anne K.

    (Chemnitz University of Technology)

Abstract

This study analyses the effects of regular physical education at school on cognitive skills, non-cognitive skills, motor skills, physical activity, and health. It is based on a very informative data set, the German Motorik-Modul, and identifies the effect by using variation in the required numbers of physical education lessons across and within German federal states. The results show improvements in cognitive skills. Boys' non-cognitive skills are adversely affected driven by increased peer relation problems. For girls, the results suggest improvements in motor skills and increased extra-curricular physical activities. Generally, we find no statistically significant effects on health parameters.

Suggested Citation

  • Knaus, Michael C. & Lechner, Michael & Reimers, Anne K., 2018. "For Better or Worse? The Effects of Physical Education on Child Development," IZA Discussion Papers 11268, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11268
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cawley, John & Frisvold, David & Meyerhoefer, Chad, 2013. "The impact of physical education on obesity among elementary school children," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 743-755.
    2. Felfe, Christina & Lechner, Michael & Steinmayr, Andreas, 2011. "Sport and Child Development," Economics Working Paper Series 1135, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science.
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    5. John Cawley & Chad Meyerhoefer & David Newhouse, 2007. "The impact of state physical education requirements on youth physical activity and overweight," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(12), pages 1287-1301, December.
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    10. Dills, Angela K. & Morgan, Hillary N. & Rotthoff, Kurt W., 2011. "Recess, physical education, and elementary school student outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 889-900, October.
    11. Lunn, Peter D. & Kelly, Elish, 2015. "Participation in school sport and post-school pathways: evidence from ireland," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 232, pages 51-66, May.
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    15. Huber, Martin & Lechner, Michael & Wunsch, Conny, 2013. "The performance of estimators based on the propensity score," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 175(1), pages 1-21.
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    Cited by:

    1. Steven Bednar & Kathryn Rouse, 2020. "The effect of physical education on children's body weight and human capital: New evidence from the ECLS‐K:2011," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 393-405, April.
    2. Black, Nicole & Johnston, David W. & Propper, Carol & Shields, Michael A., 2019. "The effect of school sports facilities on physical activity, health and socioeconomic status in adulthood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 120-128.
    3. Packham, Analisa & Street, Brittany, 2019. "The effects of physical education on student fitness, achievement, and behavior," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1-18.
    4. Phipps, Aaron & Amaya, Alexander, 2023. "Are students time constrained? Course load, GPA, and failing," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    5. Phillip Heiler, 2020. "Efficient Covariate Balancing for the Local Average Treatment Effect," Papers 2007.04346, arXiv.org.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    physical education; cognitive skills; non-cognitive skills; motor skills; physical activity; health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • Z28 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - Policy
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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