Structure factors and changes of attitudes for endurance and long-distance running of elementary, lower and upper secondary school students in physical education

The purpose of this study was to clarify structure factors and it's changes as the school stage progresses of attitudes for endurance and long-distance running of elementary, lower and upper secondary school students in physical education. A questionnaire survey (four point scale, 34items) was conducted for all grades from 1st grade in elementary to 3rg grade in upper secondary school students. This survey was conducted in 2012. The total number of subjects was 2166. Subjects by the school stage was elementary 457, lower secondary 1257 and upper secondary school 452 students. Results were as follows: We found that five facors were 1st “engagement”, 2nd “achievement”, 3rd “collaboration”, 4th “favorable”, 5th “unpleasant” by the exploratory factor analysis (accumulated contribution ratio＝48.1％). The validity of factor structure was confirmed by analysis of confirmatory factor analysis. Changes of factor scores as the school stage progresses (from elementary school lower grade, elementary school higher grade, lower secondary to upper secondary school) were significant in all five factors each (one way anova). 4 facors that were 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th changed to be negative as the school stage progresses of attitudes for endurance and long-distance running. But the trend of change was not specified in 5th factor. Attitudes of students changed to be negative as the school stage progresses of attitudes for endurance and long-distance running. It was the same tendency as other physical education, exercise and sports. However, it was not all the same, it can be pointed out that the trend differs depending on each factor. 1st “engagement”, 2nd “achievement”, 3rd “collaboration”, 4th “favorable” factors were strongly related and positive in five factors. It was suggested that motivation, achievement and coproduction were derived as a cause of favorable factor by structural equation modeling.