EFFECT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF 4 AND 5 YEARS OLD CHILDREN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.6121Palabras clave:
Physical Activity, Preschool Children, Social-emotional Development, ASQ:SE-2, Pakistan, Early CHILDHOOD DevelopmentResumen
Background: Early childhood (05 years) is a critical neurodevelopment period, where physical activity is central to the development of motor, cognitive and psychosocial outcomes. Although the world has recommended a regular exercise among children, a significant percentage of children, especially in the low and middle-income-countries such as Pakistan do not follow these recommendations. There is little evidence on the relationship between social-emotional development and physical activity in preschool children. Objective: To evaluate the frequency of social-emotional development based on the physical activity level among preschool-aged children. Methods: The research was an analytical cross-sectional study carried out in Pediatric Outpatient Department of Fauji Foundation Hospital during December 2025 to March 2026. They enrolled 200 preschool children (3-5 years old) by non-probability consecutive sampling. A structured Preschool Physical Activity Questionnaire (based on NASPE guidelines) was used to measure physical activity, and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2) was used to measure social-emotional development. Daily time spent in activity levels were used to classify participants into high and low physical activity. The SPSS version 23 was used in statistical analysis. Chi-square tests and multivariable regression models were used to determine associations between variables. Results: There was a significant difference in the scores of social-emotional developments between children who were more physically active and those who were less physically active (p < 0.001). A higher proportion of children in the low physical activity group fell into the “at-risk” and “delayed” categories. Developmental outcomes were negatively related to screen time and sedentary behavior. Conclusion: There is a close relationship between increased physical activity and social-emotional development in preschool children. These results emphasize the research that active lifestyles should be encouraged in early childhood through early interventions and parental awareness programs.
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