Determining the Role of Physical Exercise on Health Promotion and Coping Strategies for Physically Challenged Students in Secondary Schools in Imo State

Abstract

This study was aimed at investigating the role of physical exercise on health promotion of physically challenged students in secondary schools in Imo State. The study was guided by three research questions and three null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study was a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design involving a pre-test and post-test. A total sample of 94 physically challenged students (46 males and 48 females) drawn from a total population of 942 physically challenged students in senior secondary class two (SS 2) in Imo State through multistage sampling technique was used for the study. A 41 item structured instrument titled Physical Health Promotion Test (PHPT) was used for the study. The PHPT was validated by three experts (one measurement and evaluation, educational psychology and health and physical education). Crombach Alpha method was used to determine the reliability of Physical Health Promotion Test (PHPT) and reliability index of 0.82 was obtained. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used in analysing the hypotheses. Findings of the study revealed that physical exercise affects the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of health promotion of physically challenged students in secondary schools in Imo State. The study also revealed that. Intervention using physical exercises significantly enhanced health promotion scores of physically challenged students: Gender as a factor in the study has no significant influence on health promotion scores of physically challenged students: Gender has no significant interaction effect on the mean health promotion scores of physically challenged students who were exposed to physical exercise and those not exposed. Among recommendations made were that physically challenged should be encouraged in the field of physical exercise and teachers should be interested in helping physically challenged students to participate in physical exercise for their health promotion.