From Game to Gain: The Effect of Gamification on Students’ Sporting Capital in Health-Promoting Schools

Background: The increasing prevalence of physical inactivity among adolescents has raised major health concerns worldwide. Schools, as key social institutions, play a crucial role in fostering lifelong active lifestyles. This study investigated whether a gamified physical education (PE) intervention within Health-Promoting Schools (HPS) could enhance students’ sporting capital.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design, 244 Iranian students (aged 13-16) were randomly allocated into four groups; two control groups of boys/girls and two experimental groups of boys/girls. A six-week gamified intervention was implemented in experimental groups. Research tools included a 25-item Sporting Capital Questionnaire (SCQ), the Perceived Parental Sport Support Scale (PPSSC) and the Sense of Socialization Scale (SSS), administered at Week 0 (pre-test) and Week 7 (post-test). Statistical tests comprised assumption checks (Shapiro–Wilk, Levene), baseline comparisons (independent samples t-tests, χ²), within-group analyses (paired t-tests), between-group comparisons using ANCOVA with pretest scores as covariates, interaction exploration via multiple regression, and reporting of effect sizes (Cohen’s d, partial η²).Results: Significant improvements were observed in the experimental groups as compared with the control groups across all three dimensions of sporting capital. For example, post-test scores for sporting capital increased from 63.1±5.4 to 74.8±6.2 in girls and from 61.5±5.6 to 72.9±6.4 in boys. Gender did not moderate the intervention effect (P=0.198), but perceived parental support positively influenced outcomes (P=0.004). Also, sense of socialization had a weak moderating effect (P=0.057).Conclusions: Gamified physical education (PE), embedded in Health-Promoting Schools (HPS) contexts and supported by families, can effectively build students’ sporting capital beyond short-term motivation. Schools should adopt structured gamified modules, empower teachers with training, and engage parents to strengthen students’ commitment to active lifestyles.