Teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of active breaks in the classroom: Is being active so important?

Abstract

Active breaks can be a reference framework for promoting physical activity at schools, hence the important of ascertaining which variables can promote or hinder their implementation. The goal was to analyse the relationship between the perceived barriers and teacher beliefs and benefits of implementing active breaks by analysing the mediating role of the teachers’ physical activity. Method: 109 teachers participated (70.6% females; Mage = 38.59, SD = 11.08). An ad hoc questionnaire on active breaks and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were used for the teachers’ physical activity. Results: low level of perceived barriers to active breaks increased beliefs and benefits for their implementation in the classroom. Conclusions: this study shows that teachers’ physical activity was not a variable that determined the implementation of active breaks in the classroom. Therefore, other personal and/or contextual factors related to the adoption and implementation of active breaks should be explored.