Building respect, fairness, and collaboration through physical education: A primary school intervention

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a primary school intervention designed to foster fair-play, respect, and inclusion through physical education. Grounded in social learning theory and structural-developmental teaching, the program aimed to enhance students’ moral decision-making, social behavior, and physical activity levels. Sixty-four students (aged 9–10 years) participated in the seven-month intervention, which integrated classroom lessons and physical activities. Mixed-methods data collection included validated questionnaires (PAQ-C, FPPEQ, AMDM-Q, RSEQ, PSE) and interviews with students and teachers. Findings revealed significant increases in physical activity levels, particularly in non-active students, alongside enhanced respect, collaboration, and self-esteem. Teachers noted improvements in emotional regulation, self-regulation, and rule adherence. Despite occasional inappropriate behaviors, this study highlights the potential of combining physical education with social-emotional learning strategies to support psychosocial development in primary school children. These results underscore the importance of integrating such programs into educational curricula. • Students showed increased respect, collaboration, and inclusion in physical education. • Physical activity levels significantly improved, especially among inactive students. • Teachers observed enhanced emotional regulation and adherence to school rules.