Experiences in Physical Education and Sport: analysis of inequalities according to sociodemographic conditions

ABSTRACT

Introduction:  High-quality Physical Education and Sport classes provide experiences that foster per-sonal and social skills, self-esteem, as well as physical and cognitive competencies.

Objective:  To de-scribe positive and negative experiences in Physical Education and Sport classes and their relationship with inequalities based on students’ demographic characteristics (gender, age, race/ethnicity, education-al level of the family’s financial provider, and region of residence).

Method:  A cross-sectional, school-based epidemiological study with statewide coverage, conducted in 2021, involving 1,303 adolescents (51% female). A validated instrument was used to analyze experiences in Physical Education and Sport classes (Youth Experience Survey for Sport - Portuguese Version). The absolute inequality index and the concentration index were calculated to assess disparities.

Results:  Groups with more positive expe-riences compared to their peers included: girls, with 4.49 points (95% CI: 1.73; 7.25) in personal and social skills; students aged ≥18 years, with 9.93 (95% CI: 5.49; 14.37) in personal skills and 5.65 (95% CI: 1.21; 10.09) in initiative; Indigenous students, with 16.52 (95% CI: -12.32; 45.36) in personal and social skills; and students from rural areas, with 7.79 (95% CI: 4.99; 10.59) in personal and social skills, 4.86 (95% CI: 1.95; 7.77) in cognitive skills, and 4.16 (95% CI: 1.36; 6.97) in initiative. Indigenous students showed lower scores in cognitive skills -9.04 (95% CI: -38.72; 20.65) and greater exposure to negative experiences -16.38 (95% CI: -29.82; -2.95) compared to white students.

Conclusion:  Despite sociodemographic variations, most experiences were consistent, with few inequalities observed.

Keywords:
School physical education; Sports; Inequalities; Students.

RESUMO

Introdução:  Aulas de Educação Física e Esporte de qualidade oferecem experiências que estimulam habilidades pessoais, sociais, autoestima, além de competências físicas e cognitivas.

Objetivo:  des-crever as experiências positivas e negativas nas aulas de Educação Física e Esporte e suas relações com desigualdades a partir das características demográficas (gênero, idade, raça/cor, escolaridade do responsável financeiro familiar e região de moradia) de estudantes.

Método:  estudo epidemiológi-co transversal, de base escolar e abrangência estadual, realizado em 2021, com 1.303 adolescentes (51% do gênero feminino). Utilizou-se instrumento validado para analisar as experiências nas aulas de Educação Física e Esporte (Youth Experience Survey for Sport Portuguese Version). O índice absoluto de desigualdade e o índice de concentração foram calculados para avaliar as desigualdades.

Resultados:  Os grupos que se destacaram com maiores experiências positivas, quando comparados com seus pares, foram: as meninas, com 4,49 pontos (IC 95%: 1,73;7,25) em habilidades pessoais e sociais, os estudantes ≥18 anos com 9,93 (IC 95%: 5,49;14,37) em habilidades pessoais e 5,65 em iniciativa (IC 95%: 1,21;10,09), os indígenas com 16,52 (IC 95%: -12,32; 45,36) em habilidades pes-soais e sociais e os alunos do interior com pontuações em habilidades pessoais e sociais de 7,79 (IC 95%: 4,99; 10,59), habilidades cognitivas de 4,86 (IC 95%: 1,95; 7,77), e experiências de iniciativa de 4,16 (IC 95%: 1,36; 6,97). Alunos indígenas apresentaram menores pontuações em habilidades cognitivas -9,04 (IC 95%: -38,72; 20,65) e maior exposição a experiências negativas -16,38 pontos (IC 95%: -29,82; -2,95), quando comparados aos alunos brancos.

Conclusão:  Apesar de variações sociodemográficas, a maioria das experiências foi uniforme, com poucas desigualdades.

Palavras-chave:
Educação física escolar; Esportes; Desigualdades; Estudantes.

Introduction

Investigations into the benefits of Physical Education and Sport (PES) classes in the lives of children and adolescents point to opportunities for experiences that promote self-esteem and personal and social skills, in addition to developing physical and cognitive competencies, such as engagement in the proposed activities, concentration, and creativity¹-³. Using the concept presented by Fletcher and Chróinín⁴, which defines a meaningful experience in PES as an attribution of val-ue, symbol, or emotion that is interpreted and/or inter-nalized by participants during classes, this study sought to explore the potential of experiences in PES classes from the perspective of Positive Youth Development (PYD).

The PYD theory, developed by Lerner in the ear-ly 2000s, addresses human developmental systems in adolescent education, proposing that young people should be viewed as potential agents of social trans-formation rather than as problems to be managed⁵. PYD is a comprehensive concept, grounded in multi-ple theories and models⁵-⁷, which can be applied across various contexts such as camps, outdoor activities, art, music, mentoring, and school-based programs⁸.

Moreover, this theory represents a holistic approach, as it considers multiple domains of development (phys-ical, cognitive, social, and emotional), and an inclusive one, insofar as it is based on the assumption that every young person possesses talents and strengths that can be nurtured across different contexts⁹. Initially inves-tigated through young people’s experiences in sport¹⁰ and the development of life skills through sport¹¹, stud-ies on PYD in PES classes are still at an early stage¹,¹².

In this sense, experiences in PES classes are similar to the perspective of the PYD in that they provide both positive experiences, such as the development of person-al, social, and cognitive skills and experiences of initia-tive, and negative experiences, such as inappropriate be-havior by adults and peers, social exclusion, and stress¹⁰.

Based on global initiatives, the right to quality PES is advocated through recommendations that empha-size integrated, collaborative, and inclusive actions to ensure equal opportunities for all¹³,¹⁴. Moreover, the debate surrounding policies and pedagogical practices in PES has increasingly focused on inequalities, partic-ularly on inequities, that is, those inequalities that are unjust and avoidable and are related to the provision of physical activity and sport practices across different sociodemographic contexts¹⁵,¹⁶.

Studies that investigate students’ experiences while considering factors such as race/ethnicity, gender, age, economic condition, and place of residence can help to understand differences in interactions among diverse social groups. Therefore, broadening the analytical lens from an equity perspective to examine this phenomenon¹⁷ may contribute to understanding the possible causes of inequalities in PES classes among school-aged children and adolescents. In light of the above, the aim of the present study was to describe positive and negative experiences in PES classes and their re-lationships with inequalities based on demographic characteristics (gender, age, race/ethnicity, educational level of the family’s primary financial provider, and re-gion of residence) in a sample of high school students from the state of Ceará.

Methods

Study Design and Context

This is a field-based, descriptive study with a cross-sec-tional epidemiological approach and a probabilistic design, covering the federal school network at the state level and conducted in a school-based setting. The study was carried out in the state of Ceará, in North-eastern Brazil, which has a Human Development Index of 0.734¹⁸. In 2021, Ceará had a population of 9.24 million inhabitants¹⁹, including an average of ap-proximately 594.5 thousand students enrolled in basic education in public schools²⁰. Of these, 5,942 students were enrolled across the 21 campuses (municipali-ties) of the Federal Education Network²¹. Therefore, the study population comprised students aged 15 to 19 years who were enrolled in upper secondary educa-tion at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará (FIESC).

Admission of students to FIESC occurs through selective processes (entrance examinations or analy-sis of lower secondary school academic records) that follow the provisions of Law No. 12,711 of 2012²², which establishes the reservation of places in upper secondary technical education programs for diverse student profiles²³. The choice of the selection method is determined by the management of each campus, in partnership with the FIESC Office of the Vice-Rector for Education ²⁴. As a federal institution, this admis-sion process differs from that of municipal and state schools, which usually employ other admission and/or enrollment criteria.

The study was approved by the FIESC Human Research Ethics Committee under approval number 43484921.5.0000.5589 and followed the National Health Council’s Research Ethics guidelines²⁵ as well as the guidelines for conducting research during the covid-19 pandemic²⁶.

Population and Sample

The study population comprised all 5,942 upper sec-ondary school students enrolled at FIESC. Sample size calculation considered compliance with physical activity recommendations as the primary outcome. Based on the sample size calculation parameters, with a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of three percentage points²⁷, a sample of 905 students was required for the study.

Sample selection was conducted randomly using a cluster sampling approach and occurred in two stages. Initially, participating campuses were selected by random draw, considering the four regions of the state of Ceará. Subsequently, the campuses were contacted to obtain information on integrated upper secondary education classes (no random selection of classes was performed).

After these sampling procedures, out of a total of 1,561 students invited to participate, 142 refused par-ticipation and 178 questionnaires were incomplete. Thus, the analytical sample consisted of 1,303 adoles-cents who completed the questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 83.5%

Data Collection Procedures

The teachers responsible for the classes were contacted via their institutional email addresses in order to initi-ate the data collection phase. In the message sent, they were asked to share information related to the class, in-cluding class schedules. The inclusion of the research-er in the respective class Google Classroom was also suggested, with the aim of optimizing communication with the participating students.

Data collection was carried out from August to October 2021. During this period, all FIESC classes were still being conducted remotely (due to the second wave of covid-19, in accordance with current public health recommendations). That is, synchronous classes (those in which teachers and students are present at a predetermined time) were held via Google Meet, and asynchronous classes (those in which students did not need to be present at the same time to participate) took place through Google Classroom.

Prior to completing the questionnaire (one week before data collection), students received the necessary instructions for participation in the study, including the requirement to sign the Free and Informed Assent Form, in which they indicated their agreement or re-fusal to participate in the research. Students under 18 years of age completed the Free and Informed Assent Form, and their legal guardians signed the Free and In-formed Consent Form. Students aged 18 years or older completed the Free and Informed Consent Form di-rectly. Clarifications regarding the procedures for com-pleting the questionnaire were provided by research-ers who had received prior training in data collection. These instructions and the data collection itself were conducted during synchronous classes held via Google Meet, due to the pandemic period and prevailing pub-lic health recommendations.

Monitoring of data collection with participants was carried out during the initial sections of the question-naire in order to guide completion and address ques-tions. Subsequently, participants completed the ques-tionnaire independently, and the researchers remained available to address any potential questions. The ques-tionnaire sections were introduced with a brief expla-nation of their content, and each question included guidance for completion. In addition, the question-naire was configured to require responses to manda-tory questions and did not allow progression unless a response had been recorded.

Variables and Instruments

Experiences in PES classes were assessed using the Youth Experience Survey for Sport, Portuguese Ver-sion (PYES-S), which has been validated for Portu-guese-speaking youth athletes¹⁰. The questions referred to both a week of conventional in-person classes (prior to the pandemic) and a week of synchronous remote classes, during which students had the opportunity to actively participate in the activities. This instrument comprises 22 items, covering the following dimensions: personal and social skills (3 items), cognitive skills (4 items), initiative experiences (6 items), and negative experiences (9 items). To adapt the instrument to the federal education network context, the beginning of the questions included the following header: “In my experience in sport and Physical Education classes at FIESC:”. Responses were provided using a scale rang-ing from 1 to 4 points, with the following options: not at all (1); a little (2); somewhat (3); and definitely yes (4). The meanings of the analyzed dimensions are pre-sented in the Table 1.

Table 1
Dimensions, items, and meanings of the dimensions of Youth Experience Survey for Sport Portuguese Version

	Dimensions	Items	Meanings
Positive experiences	Personal and social skills	1 a3	Giving and receiving feedback; leadership; emotional awareness; making friends; helping others; and sharing responsibilities.
	Cognitive skills	4a 7	Academic skills; information seeking; creativity; and desire to remain in school.
	Initiative experiences	8 a 13	Effort; attention; energy; and improvement of physical/athletic skills.
Negative experiences		14 a 22	Inappropriate behavior by adults and peers; social exclusion; and stress.

Students’ responses to the items within each dimen-sion were summed. The directionality of the question-naire items was preserved, meaning that higher scores reflected more positive perceptions of experiences in PES classes. The exception was the negative experi-ences dimension, in which scores were reverse-coded: higher scores indicated a lower perception of negative experiences in PES classes. Subsequently, for the pur-pose of standardizing the interpretation of scales with different scoring ranges, values were converted to per-centages ranging from 0 to 100%.

Sociodemographic variables were assessed using the standardized instrument from the National School Health Survey²⁸ and were categorized as follows: age group (≤15 years, 16 years, 17 years, and ≥18 years), race/ethnicity (White, Black, Brown, Yellow, and In-digenous), educational level of the family’s primary financial provider (incomplete elementary education, complete elementary education, and complete sec-ondary/higher education), and region of residence (non-metropolitan/inland areas and Metropolitan Region). The use of these sociodemographic variables in studies addressing inequalities is important for un-derstanding and mapping the factors that contribute to disparities in access to and participation in physical activity, as well as in population health conditions.

Data analysis

Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated for categorical variables, and means and standard devia-tions (SD) were estimated for continuous variables. To describe positive and negative experiences in PES classes, simple measures of difference and ratio were calculated using simple linear and Poisson regression, respectively, considering 95% confidence intervals (CI) based on each adolescent’s relative scores and accord-ing to demographic characteristics (gender, age, race/ ethnicity, educational level of the family’s primary fi-nancial provider, and region of residence). Difference values and the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) are pre-sented in percentage points, along with their respective CIs. The comparison between groups for difference and ratio values was performed using CIs obtained from simple linear regressions (for difference estimates) and Poisson regressions (for ratio estimates). Statistically significant differences were considered when confi-dence intervals did not overlap.

O SII or absolute index of inequality, and the Con-centration Index (CIX), or concentration index, were calculated to assess inequalities across age groups and educational levels of the family’s primary financial pro-vider in experiences in PES²⁹.

The SII is an absolute measure of inequality applied to ordinal variables, such as those related to socioeco-nomic aspects, for example income categories, wealth levels, or educational indicators²⁹. The CIX represents a relative measure of inequality that incorporates all categories of the variable used for stratification. Its functioning is comparable to that of the Gini Coeffi-cient, yielding values ranging from -1 to +1, where zero indicates perfect equality. The further the value is from zero, the greater the degree of inequality between the analyzed groups. Thus, both indices are complemen-tary, with higher values (in absolute terms) indicating greater inequality or inequity, whether measured in terms of absolute differences (SII) or relative concen-tration (CIX)²⁹. Data analyses were performed using Stata statistical software, version 14.

Results

In Table 2, the characteristics of the evaluated sample are presented. Among the 1,303 study participants, 51.0% were female. Regarding age, 32.7% of the stu-dents were 16 years old. Most participants identified as Brown (Pardo) (56.6%) and had a family’s prima-ry financial provider with complete secondary and/or higher education (58.0%). PES class was reported by 80.5% of the students as the main context for engaging in physical activity.

Table 2
Descriptive characteristics of the study participants.

Variable	n= 1.303
	n	%
Gender
Male	639	49.0
Female	664	51.0
Age group
<15 years	337	25.9
16 years	426	32.7
17 years	343	26.3
>18 years	197	15.1
Race/ethnicity
White	433	33.2
Black	105	8.1
Brown	737	56.6
Asian	25	1.9
Indigenous	3	0.2
Educational level of the family’s primary financial provider
Incomplete elementary school	291	22.3
Complete elementary school	256	19.7
Complete high school/higher education	756	58.0
Context(s) of involvement in Physical Education and Sport
Physical Education classes	1049	80.5
Extracurricular classes	45	3.5
Sports teams	18	1.4
Physical Education classes and extracurricular classes	78	6.0
Physical Education classes and sports teams	84	6.4
Extracurricular classes and sports teams	4	0.3
All contexts	25	1.9
Region
Metropolitan Region	785	60.2
Inland	518	39.8

Figure 1 shows the mean scores of experiences in PES classes, with an overall mean of 69% (SD = 25.5). Among positive experiences, the highest mean scores, in descending order, were for personal and social skills at 72% (SD = 25.5), initiative experiences at 70% (SD = 25.3), and cognitive skills at 57.0% (SD = 26.3). Af-ter reverse-coding the negative experiences dimension, higher scores indicated a lower perception of these experiences. From this perspective, the mean score of 93% (SD = 11.8) suggests that most students reported a low frequency of negative experiences in PES classes. The distributions of high school students’ responses regarding their experiences in PES are detailed in the supplementary table 1.

Figure 1
Mean and standard deviation of experience scores in physical Education and Sport classes of high school students. For the negative experiences dimension, scores were reversed for standardization purposes in line with the other scales.

Table 3 presents the mean scores of experiences in PES classes across different sociodemographic groups. It also highlights the results of the SII and the CIX, used to analyze inequalities among groups based on factors such as race/ethnicity, age group, and educa-tional level of the family’s primary financial provider.

Table 3
Inequalities in Physical Education and Sport Experiences of Students at the Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technolo-gy of Ceará, Based on Demographic Characteristics.

	Experiences in Physical Education and Sport classes	Personal and social skills	Cognitive skills	Initiative experiences	Negative experiences
	% (CI 95%)	% (CI 95%)	% (CI 95%)	% (CI 95%)	% (CI 95%)
Gender
Male	68.2 (66.8; 69.6)	69.6 (67.6; 71.7)	55.7 (53.6; 57.8)	69.4 (67.4; 71.4)	92.5 (91.5; 93.5)
Female	70.6 (69.1; 72.0)	74.1 (72.3; 76.0)	58.7 (56.7; 60.6)	71.4 (69.5; 73.3)	92.7 (91.9; 93.5)
Difference	2.39 (0.37; 4.41)	4.49 (1.73; 7.25)	2.96 (0.11; 5.81)	1.99 (-0.76; 4.74)	0.20 (-1.09; 1.49)
Ratio	1.04 (1.02; 1.05)	1.06 (1.05; 1.08)	1.05 (1.04; 1.07)	1.03 (1.02; 1.04)	1.00 (0.99; 1.01)
Age group
< 15 years	70.5 (68.4; 72.5)	70.3 (67.5; 73.2)	60.0 (57.2; 62.8)	70.5 (67.8; 73.2)	93.7 (92.4; 95.1)
16 years	69.0 (67.2; 70.7)	69.3 (66.8; 71.8)	54.9 (52.4; 57.4)	68.7 (66.2; 71.1)	94.9 (94.1; 95.6)
17 years	67.4 (65.3; 69.4)	72.0 (69.4; 74.7)	54.9 (52.2; 57.6)	69.2 (66.5; 72.0)	90.6 (89.4; 91.9)
>18 years	72.2 (69.7; 74.7)	80.3 (77.3; 83.3)	61.4 (57.6; 65.2)	76.1 (73.0; 79.3)	89.2 (86.9; 91.5)
Difference	1.74 (-1.54; 5.01)	9.93 (5.49; 14.37)	1.36 (-3.24; 5.96)	5.65 (1.21; 10.09)	-4.53 (-6.58; -2.49)
Ratio	1.02 (1.00; 1.05)	1.14(1.12; 1.16)	1.02 (1.00; 1.05)	1.08 (1.06; 1.10)	0.95 (0.93; 0.97)
Concentration Index	0.0025 (-0.0058; 0.0109)	0.0290 (0.0181; 0.0398)	0.0018 (-0.0128; 0.0164)	0.0136 (0.0027; 0.0245)	-0.0115 (-0.0159; -0.0071)
Slope Index of Inequality	-0.37 (-4.01; 3.27)	9.85 (5.03; 14.68)	-0.94 (-6.15; 4.26)	4.35 (-0.45; 9.16)	-6.45 (-9.13; -3.76)
Race/ethnicity
White	67.1 (65.2; 68.9)	68.7 (66.3; 71.1)	53.5 (50.9; 56.1)	67.7 (65.1; 70.2)	92.9 (91.9; 94.0)
Black	72.5 (69.5; 75.5)	77.4 (72.4; 82.3)	64.0 (59.4; 68.6)	74.4 (70.3; 78.6)	90.7 (87.8; 93.6)
Brown	70.3 (68.9; 71.6)	73.0 (71.2; 74.9)	58.3 (56.5; 60.2)	71.2 (69.4; 73.0)	92.8 (91.9; 93.6)
Asian	73.9 (67.2; 80.6)	72.0 (60.5; 83.6)	62.3 (51.6; 73.0)	79.8 (71.7; 87.9)	92.2 (88.0; 96.3)
Indigenous	55.8 (17.1; 94.5)	85.2 (43.0; 127.3)	44.4 (32.5; 56.4)	59.3 (-4.5; 123.0)	76.5 (39.4; 113.7)
Difference (Black vs White)	5.12 (0.90; 9.34)	8.72 (2.12; 15.33)	10.53 (4.26; 16.81)	6.41 (0.53; 12.28)	-2.57 (-6.31; 1.17)
Difference (Brown vs White)	2.69 (-0.08; 5.45)	4.04 (0.40; 7.68)	4.66 (0.85; 8.46)	2.86 (-0.88; 6.59)	-0.45 (-2.15; 1.26)
Difference (Asian vs White)	7.00 (-1.47; 15.47)	3.85 (-10.47; 18.17)	8.83 (-4.52; 22.18)	12.26 (2.00; 22.52)	-0.68 (-5.94; 4.58)
Difference (Indigenous vs White)	-9.22 (-28.16; 9.72)	12.40 (-11.40; 36.21)	-7.67 (-15.15;-0.19)	-10.57 (-41.14; 20.00)	-10.42 (-34.47; 13.64)
Educational level of the family’s primary financial provider
Incomplete elementary school	72.3 (70.2; 74.4)	76.1 (73.2; 78.9)	60.4 (57.4; 63.4)	73.9 (70.9; 76.8)	92.7 (91.4; 94.0)
Complete elementary school	70.2 (67.9; 72.4)	71.1 (67.9; 74.3)	59.9 (56.7; 63.1)	70.7 (67.8; 73.7)	92.8 (91.4; 94.2)
Complete high school/higher education	68.1 (66.7; 69.4)	70.6 (68.8; 72.4)	55.1 (53.2; 57.0)	69.0 (67.2; 70.8)	92.5 (91.6; 93.4)
Difference	-4.19 (-6.70; -1.68)	-5.44 (-8.88; -2.00)	-5.27 (-8.82; -1.73)	-4.89 (-8.31; -1.47)	-0.19 (-1.79; 1.42)
Ratio	0.94 (0.93; 0.96)	0.93 (0.91; 0.94)	0.91 (0.90; 0.93)	0.93 (0.92; 0.95)	1.00 (0.98; 1.01)
Concentration Index	-0.0075 (-0.0159; 0.0009)	-0.0013 (-0.0121; 0.0094)	-0.0147 (-0.0292; -0.0002)	-0.0075 (-0.0190; 0.0039)	-0.0020 (-0.0058; 0.0019)
Slope Index of Inequality	-6.66 (-10.57; -2.75)	-7.46 (-12.80; -2.11)	-9.54 (-15.09; -3.98)	-7.41 (-12.80; -2.03)	-0.42 (-2.88; 2.04)
Region Metropolitan Region	68.3 (66.9; 69.6)	68.8 (67.0; 70.7)	55.3 (53.4; 57.1)	68.8 (67.0; 70.6)	93.5 (92.7; 94.2)
Inland	71.2 (69.6; 72.8)	76.6 (74.6; 78.6)	60.1 (57.9; 62.3)	72.9 (70.8; 75.0)	91.3 (90.1; 92.4)
Difference	2.95 (0.88; 5.01)	7.79 (4.99; 10.59)	4.86 (1.95; 7.77)	4.16 (1.36; 6.97)	-2.19 (-3.50; -0.88)
Ratio	1.04 (1.03; 1.06)	1.11 (1.10; 1.13)	1.09 (1.07; 1.10)	1.06 (1.05; 1.07)	0.98 (0.97; 0.99)

• Note:
• ^*
  For the Difference and Slope Index of Inequality lines, percentage points and their respective confidence intervals are reported. Leg-end: CI = Confidence interval.

In the gender analysis, the overall PES experience scale showed an absolute difference of 2.39 percentage points (95% CI: 0.37; 4.41) in favor of female students. For the personal and social skills and cognitive skills scales, absolute differences of 4.49 (95% CI: 1.73; 7.25) and 2.96 (0.11; 5.81) percentage points were observed, respectively, also favoring girls.

Older students (18 years or older) demonstrat-ed higher scores across all experiences compared with younger students (up to 15 years). Absolute differences observed were 9.93 (95% CI: 5.49; 14.37) percentage points for personal and social skills and 5.65 (95% CI: 1.21; 10.09) percentage points for initiative experienc-es. The CIX (0.0290) and SII (9.85) for personal and social skills indicated a higher concentration in favor of older students, revealing a certain degree of inequality: younger students generally had fewer opportunities to develop these skills. However, the CIX was significant for initiative experiences, indicating that older students had greater access to opportunities promoting these practices, reflecting lower inequalities compared to other groups. Additionally, both indices (CIX and SII) were significant for negative experiences, showing that older students were more exposed to adverse experienc-es in PES classes.

Analyses by race/ethnicity showed that, compared with White students, Black students reported higher mean scores in personal and social skills (8.7 pp; 95% CI: 2.1; 15.3), cognitive skills (10.5 pp; 95% CI: 4.3; 16.8), initiative experiences (6.4 pp; 0.5; 12.3), and overall experiences (5.1 pp; 95% CI: 0.9; 9.3). Brown (Pardo) students also showed significantly higher scores in personal and social skills (4.0 pp; 95% CI: 0.4; 7.7) and cognitive skills (4.7 pp; 95% CI: 0.9; 8.5). Among Yellow students, a positive difference was observed in initiative experiences (12.3 pp; 95% CI: 2.0; 22.5). For Indigenous students, a negative difference was noted in cognitive skills (- 7.7 pp; 95% CI: - 15.2; - 0.2). No statistically significant differences were found between groups in the negative experience’s domain.

Regarding educational level, students whose family financial providers had completed secondary or high-er education had, on average, - 4.19 (95% CI: - 6.70; - 1.68) percentage points in overall PES experiences, - 5.44 (95% CI: - 8.88; - 2.00) in personal and social skills, - 5.27 (95% CI: - 8.82; - 1.73) in cognitive skills, and - 4.89 (95% CI: - 8.31; - 1.47) in initiative experi-ences, compared with students whose family providers had only incomplete elementary education. These data indicate a form of inequality for students with more highly educated parents, i.e., this group experienced fewer opportunities compared with students whose parents had lower educational attainment.

For negative experiences, the observed difference was - 0.19 (-95% CI: 1.79; 1.42) percentage points, suggesting a negligible difference. The CIX for overall experiences was - 0.0075, while the SII was - 6.66, both statistically significant, indicating a slight negative con-centration and inequality disadvantaging students with parents who completed secondary or higher education. For personal and social skills, the CIX and SII were - 0.0013 and - 7.46, respectively; for cognitive skills, - 0.0147 (CIX) and - 9.54 (SII); and for initiative expe-riences, - 0.0075 (CIX) and - 7.41 (SII), all statistically significant, evidencing inequalities that disadvantage students with more highly educated parents.

Data on region of residence showed that students living in non-metropolitan/inland areas, on average, had more positive experiences in PES classes compared with students in the capital/Metropolitan Region. Spe-cifically, students in inland areas had 2.95 (95% CI: 0.88; 5.01) percentage points higher overall experienc-es, 7.79 (95% CI: 4.99; 10.59) points higher in personal and social skills, 4.86 (95% CI: 1.95; 7.77) points higher in cognitive skills, and 4.16 (95% CI: 1.36; 6.97) points higher in initiative experiences. In summary, stu-dents residing in inland areas reported more positive experiences compared with those living in the capital or metropolitan regions, reflecting an avoidable inequality, i.e., a situation of inequity.

In contrast, for negative experiences, the difference was - 2.19 percentage points (95% CI: - 3.50; - 0.88), suggesting that students in the capital/Metropolitan Region reported fewer negative experiences. Overall, these results indicate that, except for negative experi-ences, students in inland areas generally perceive PES classes more favorably than those in the capital/Metro-politan Region.

Discussion

The present study described positive and negative experiences in PE and sport classes among adolescents enrolled in integrated upper secondary education at IFCE, taking into account inequalities according to sociodemographic factors such as gender, age, race/ ethnicity, educational level of the family’s primary fi-nancial provider, and region of residence.

Our results can be interpreted in light of PYD, which provides a theoretical framework for under-standing the coexistence of positive and negative expe-riences in PES classes. Higher perceptions of personal and social skills among certain groups (such as female students and those living in inland areas), for example, illustrate the potential of PYD to foster socioemotion-al competencies in school contexts. On the other hand, the negative experiences reported by Indigenous stu-dents indicate that not all groups have equitable access to development opportunities, highlighting structural inequalities within the school environment. Thus, PYD not only helps to interpret the findings but also rein-forces the importance of policies and pedagogical prac-tices that value diversity and promote inclusion.

Participants reported more positive experiences in dimensions related to interpersonal and leadership competencies (personal and social skills, initiative ex-periences), whereas cognitive skills were less prom-inent. Additionally, they reported lower perceptions of inappropriate behaviors, social exclusion, and stress (negative experiences).

The mean percentages of positive experiences found in our study (above 70% in personal and social skills and in initiative experiences) are consistent with inter-national investigations that have used the Youth Expe-rience Survey for Sport or derived instruments. Holt et al.¹ identified similar levels of positive experiences in urban schools in Canada, highlighting interpersonal and leadership gains. Systematic reviews, such as that by Eime et al.², have also documented that participa-tion in sport and school contexts tends to generate high percentages of favorable experiences, particularly in social and emotional competencies. More recent-ly, Bruner et al.³ highlighted in a meta-analysis that sport-based interventions achieve comparable percent-ages, reinforcing that structured school environments foster positive perceptions among adolescents.

The analyses revealed differences among sociode-mographic groups, particularly girls, older students, indigenous students, and those residing in rural areas, who reported more positive experiences in PES classes. These results indicate that these groups experience this context more favorably compared to their peers, reveal-ing inequalities that disadvantage others.

The data showing that girls experience more pos-itive outcomes than boys may appear surprising, con-sidering that studies in the field of physical activity and health have demonstrated a tendency toward low-er levels of physical activity and a higher prevalence of sedentary behavior among girls compared to boys³⁰. This lower participation may be related to lack of in-terest or absence from PES classes³¹. Furthermore, this gender disparity in engagement was evidenced in a study demonstrating that girls remain, on average, 20 minutes less in PES classes compared to boys³².

Although the groups presented variations in some of the experiences analyzed, most showed a certain degree of uniformity, indicating that these differences were not recurrent to the extent of constituting a sce-nario of inequity. A likely justification for this finding may be related to the multicultural environment of the institution in which the study was conducted, which adopts PES policies focused on the development of students’ life skills³³.

It is noteworthy that the research was conducted at a federal institute, an environment that generally pro-vides more favorable conditions in terms of physical infrastructure and material resources for PES classes and sports activities. In addition, teachers at this in-stitution typically receive higher remuneration than that offered to basic education professionals in general, which may positively influence the quality of the class-es delivered. This combination of elements contributes to students experiencing more enriching and meaning-ful experiences during school practices.

The differences and similarities observed may also be attributed to the plural nature of PES classes, which vary according to the methodologies applied and the diversity of participants’ characteristics, elements in-herent to pedagogical practice in the field³⁴. In this context, the emphasis of pedagogical intervention in PES should go beyond students’ physical development, also promoting critical reflection on the body, health, and well-being³⁵. Therefore, it is important to consider the relevance of students’ psychosocial aspects, espe-cially their strengths, interests, individual characteris-tics, and the context in which they are embedded³⁶.

It was observed that Black and Brown students reported more positive experiences than White students, suggesting a compensatory role of PES classes at FI-ESC for historically vulnerable groups. In contrast, In-digenous students presented lower scores in cognitive skills, highlighting the need for specific pedagogical in-clusion actions. The absence of differences in negative experiences indicates a certain homogeneity in this do-main but reinforces that opportunities for positive ex-periences are still distributed unequally among groups.

Considering that the social function of the school transcends academic learning, offering comprehensive education to students by encompassing physical, so-cioemotional, and psychological aspects³⁷, it is import-ant to recognize this space as a reference point for the community that articulates educational actions aimed at health promotion³⁸.

In light of the above, PES plays a strategic and inclu-sive role in reducing inequality in Brazilian education, particularly by fostering awareness of regular physical activity, stimulating the development of socioemotional skills, promoting social interaction, and strengthening community bonds³⁹. Furthermore, high-quality PES classes provide meaningful experiences through col-laboration between the school community and other intersectoral agents, resulting in improvements in the living conditions of both students and the school com-munity itself⁴⁰. Thus, the importance and centrality of PES classes in human development and in reducing in-equalities within the school environment are reinforced.

Among the strengths of this study is the investiga-tion of topics that have been scarcely addressed in the field of PE, being the first to examine inequalities in adolescents’ experiences in PES classes. In addition, the statewide scope of the study, although limited to the federal education network, involved municipalities with diverse contexts and sizes, which represents a strength of the study by indicating the representativeness of different contexts within an important region of Brazil.

Regarding limitations, the cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences, and data collection through self-report may be subject to recall and accuracy bias-es, despite the use of validated instruments. The group of indigenous students analyzed was too small to be representative and to allow for generalization of the results. Participants who reported pre-pandemic expe-riences had an interval of 17 months since the onset of the crisis, with data collection occurring between August and October 2021, after the second wave of covid-19 in Brazil. The fact that data collection did not direct participants to a specific type of experience, whether in classes before or during the pandemic, re-sulted in responses being attributed to PES classes in general, including both synchronous and asynchronous classes. In summary, the challenging context experi-enced during the pandemic period influenced access to remote education and led many adolescents to assume financial responsibilities within their families. Such factors may have interfered with how these young peo-ple perceived the experiences analyzed, impacting the results obtained. Future studies are recommended to consider these variables in a post-pandemic scenario in order to deepen the understanding of the findings.

In conclusion, the findings indicate that PES classes in integrated high school at FIESC play a crucial role in students’ holistic development, contributing to both interpersonal competencies and leadership skills. Despite variations observed according to sociodemo-graphic factors such as gender, age, race/ethnicity, pa-rental education, and region of residence, most expe-riences were uniform, with few inequalities identified. These differences may be explained by the diversity of methodologies applied and by participants’ characteris-tics, which are intrinsic features of pedagogical practice in the field. Therefore, the strategic role of PES classes goes beyond physical development, contributing to the provision of more equitable, high-quality pedagogi-cal practices that value students’ psychosocial aspects, which are indispensable for building a more just and meaningful school environment

• Funding
  There was no funding.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the students and the FIESC staff for their voluntary participation and contribution to the study, as well as the team involved in the research, for their voluntary contri-bution. They also acknowledge the State University of Ceará for institutional support.

Statement on the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools in the Writing Process

The authors used the Google Gemini artificial intelligence tool to perform the following activities: translation of the abstract into American English, aiming to eliminate grammatical and spell-ing errors, as well as improve the fluency and objectivity of the sentences.

The authors used ChatGPT and DeepL for the following activities: translation into American English. The AI tools were not used to write, generate content, or develop reasoning and the authors assume full responsibility for all the content of the manuscript. Additionally, translations from both AI tools were compared to enhance the overall quality and accuracy of the final translation

• Reviewers’ assessment
  The reviews of this article were originally conducted in Portuguese. This version has been translated using ChatGPT and subsequently reviewed by the Chief Editors.

Supplementary table

Supplementary table 1
Distribution of responses on High School Students’ Experiences in Physical Education and Sport

		Not at all	A little	More or less	Definitely yes	Total
		n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
	I learned about helping others	54 (4.1)	205 (15.7)	330 (25.3)	714 (54.8)	1303 (100)
Personal and social	I made a new friend	172 (13.2)	183 (14.0)	288 (22.1)	660 (50.7)	1303 (100)
skills	I learned that I had a lot in common with people from different backgrounds	101 (7.8)	2,72 (20.9)	373 (28.6)	557 (42.8)	1303 (100)
	I improved academic skills (reading, writing, math, etc.)	214 (16.4)	373 (28.6)	390 (29.9)	326 (25.0)	1303 (100)
Cognitive skills	I improved computer/internet skills	417 (32.0)	331 (25.4)	295 (22.6)	260 (20.0)	1303 (100)
	I improved creative skills	144(11.1)	341 (26.2)	414 (31.8)	404 (31.0)	1303 (100)
	This activity increased my desire to stay in school	135 (10.4)	219 (16.8)	334 (25.6)	615 (47.2)	1303 (100)
	I learned to find ways to achieve my goals	138 (10.6)	274 (21.0)	378 (29.0)	513 (39.4)	1303 (100)
	I set goals for myself in this activity	149 (11.4)	250 (19.2)	348 (26.7)	556 (42.7)	1303 (100)
Initiative	I learned to consider challenges when making plans for the future	119 (9.1)	207 (15.9)	355 (27.2)	622 (47.7)	1303 (100)
experiences	I learned to put in effort	56 (4.3)	168 (12.9)	282 (21.6)	797 (61.2)	1303 (100)
	I learned to focus my attention	97 (7.4)	258 (19.8)	330 (25.3)	618 (47.4)	1303 (100)
	I put all my energy into this activity	115 (8.8)	233 (17.9)	445 (34.1)	510(39.1)	1303 (100)
	I was treated differently because of my gender, race, ethnicity, lack of ability, or sexual orientation	1174 (90.1)	46 (3.5)	43 (3.3)	40 (3.1)	1303 (100)
	Adult leaders in this activity were controlling and manipulative	1201 (92.2)	54 (4.1)	30 (2.3)	18 (1.4)	1303 (100)
	Adult leaders scared me	1204 (92.4)	65 (5.0)	19 (1.5)	15 (1.2)	1303 (100)
	Adult leaders made personal comments that made me angry	1213 (93.1)	57 (4.4)	21 (1.6)	12 (0.9)	1303 (100)
Negative experiences	Adult leaders encouraged me to do something I believed was morally wrong	1161 (89.1)	50 (3.8)	49 (3.8)	43 (3.3)	1303 (100)
	Other youth in this activity made inappropriate sexual comments, jokes, or gestures	1148 (88.1)	90 (6.9)	40 (3.1)	25 (1.9)	1303 (100)
	Youth in this activity led me to drink alcohol or use drugs	1277 (98.0)	5 (0.4)	10 (0.8)	11 (0.8)	1303 (100)
	I was stuck in activities that were not part of my responsibilities	1146 (88.0)	101 (7.8)	36 (2.8)	20 (1.5)	1303 (100)
	There were “cliques” in this activity	710 (54.5)	274 (21.0)	144(11.1)	175 (13.4)	1303 (100)

Availability of Research Data and Other Materials

Following publication, the data will be available upon request from the authors.

References

• ¹ Holt NL, Sehn ZL, Spence JC, Newton AS, Ball GDC. Physical education and sport programs at an inner city school: ex-ploring possibilities for positive youth development. Phys Educ Sport Pedagogy. 2012;17(1):97-113. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2010.548062
  » https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2010.548062
• ² Eime RM, Young JA, Harvey JT, Charity MJ, Payne WR. A systematic review of the psychological and social benefits of participation in sport for children and adolescents: informing development of a conceptual model of health through sport. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act. 2013;10(1):98. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-98
  » https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-98
• ³ Bruner MW, McLaren CD, Sutcliffe JT, Gardner LA, Lubans DR, Smith JJ, et al. The effect of sport-based interventions on positive youth development: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int. Rev. Sport Exerc. Psychol. 2023;16(1):368-95. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2021.1875496
  » https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2021.1875496
• ⁴ Fletcher T, Chróinín DN. Pedagogical principles that support the prioritisation of meaningful experiences in physical education: conceptual and practical considerations. Phys Educ Sport Pedagogy. 2022;27(5):455-66. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2021.1884672
  » https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2021.1884672
• ⁵ Lerner RM. Promoting positive youth development: Theoretical and empirical bases. Em: White paper prepared for the Workshop on the science of adolescent health and development, National Research Council/Institute of Medi-cine [Internet]. Washington: National Academies of Science; 2005. Available from: <https://starfinderfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/PYDWhitePaper.pdf> [2024 November]
  » https://starfinderfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/PYDWhitePaper.pdf
• ⁶ Larson RW. Toward a psychology of positive youth development. Am Psychol. 2000;55(1):170-83. doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.170
  » https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.170
• ⁷ Turnnidge J, Côté J. Transformational Coaching Workshop: Applying a Person-Centred Approach to Coach Develop-ment Programs. Int. Sport Coach. J. 2017. 4(3):314-25. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2017-0046
  » https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2017-0046
• ⁸ Waid J, Uhrich M. A Scoping Review of the Theory and Practice of Positive Youth Development. Br. J. Soc. Work. 2019;50(1):5-24. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcy130
  » https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcy130
• ⁹ Damon W. What is Positive Youth Development? Ann Am Acad Pol Soc Sci. 2004;591(1):13-24. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716203260092
  » https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716203260092
• ¹⁰ Rigoni PAG, Andrade Do Nascimento Junior JR, Belem IC, Vieira LF, MacDonald DJ. Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the youth experience survey for sport (P-YES-S). Meas. phys. educ. exerc. sci. 2018;22(4):310-21. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/1091367X.2018.1446961
  » https://doi.org/10.1080/1091367X.2018.1446961
• ¹¹ Ciampolini V, Milistetd M, Kramers S, Vieira JV. O que são life skills e como integrá-las no esporte brasileiro para promover o desenvolvimento positivo de jovens? J. Phys. Educ. 2020;31:1-12. doi: https://doi.org/10.4025/jphyseduc.v31i1.3150
  » https://doi.org/10.4025/jphyseduc.v31i1.3150
• ¹² Costa GDCT, Silva RM de O. Métodos de ensino na Educação Física: um olhar para abordagens contemporâneas. [Mestrado Profissional em Educação Física em Rede Nacional (ProEF). São Paulo: UNESP; 2022.
• ¹³ Relatório de Desenvolvimento Humano Nacional - Movimento é Vida: Atividades Físicas e Esportivas para Todas as Pessoas: Brasília: PNUD, 2017. 392 p. Available from: <http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/national-human-development-report-2017-brazil> [2022 March].
  » http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/national-human-development-report-2017-brazil
• ¹⁴ UNESCO & Loughborough University. The Global State of Play: Report and Recommendations on Quality Physical Education. Paris, UNESCO. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.54678/GSKR7671
  » https://doi.org/10.54678/GSKR7671
• ¹⁵ Ferreira CS, Andrade FBD. Desigualdades socioeconômicas associadas ao excesso de peso e sedentarismo em ado-lescentes brasileiros. Ciênc saúde coletiva. 2021;26(3):1095-104. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232021263.09022019
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232021263.09022019
• ¹⁶ De Jesus GM, Costa MB da, Dias LA, Barbosa Filho VC, Araujo RH de O, Barros AKC, et al. Desigualdades de cor/raça na disponibilidade de instalações para a prática de atividades físicas e esportes nas escolas públicas de educação básica do Brasil. Rev Bras Ciênc Esporte. 2023;45:e20230029. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/rbce.45.e20230029
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/rbce.45.e20230029
• ¹⁷ O’Neill J, Tabish H, Welch V, Petticrew M, Pottie K, Clarke M, et al. Applying an equity lens to interventions: using PROGRESS ensures consideration of socially stratifying factors to illuminate inequities in health. J Clin Epidemiol. janeiro de 2014;67(1):56-64. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2013.08.005
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2013.08.005
• ¹⁸ IBGE. Cidades e Estados [Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística]. Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano (IDH) - Cidades e Estados. Brasília; 2023. Available from: https://www.ibge.gov.br/cidades-e-estados/ce.html> [2023 August].
  » https://www.ibge.gov.br/cidades-e-estados/ce.html
• ¹⁹ IBGE. Estimativas da População [Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística]. Estimativas da população residente para os municípios e para as unidades da federação. Brasília; 2021. Available from: <https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatisticas/sociais/populacao/9103-estimativas-de-populacao.html?edicao=31451> [2023 August].
  » https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatisticas/sociais/populacao/9103-estimativas-de-populacao.html?edicao=31451
• ²⁰ Brasil. Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep). Resumo Técnico do estado do Ceará: Censo Escolar da Educação Básica 2021. Brasília, DF: Inep, 2022. Available from: <https://www.gov.br/inep/pt-br/centrais-de-conteudo/acervo-linha-editorial/publicacoes-institucionais/estatisticas-e-indicadores-educacionais/resumo-tecnico-do-estado-do-ceara-censo-da-educacao-basica-2021> [2023 August].
  » https://www.gov.br/inep/pt-br/centrais-de-conteudo/acervo-linha-editorial/publicacoes-institucionais/estatisticas-e-indicadores-educacionais/resumo-tecnico-do-estado-do-ceara-censo-da-educacao-basica-2021
• ²¹ IFCE EM NÚMEROS. IFCE em números [Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira]. For-taleza; 2021. Estatísticas: Situação de Matrículas. Available from: <https://emnumeros.ifce.edu.br/> [2021 No-vember].
  » https://emnumeros.ifce.edu.br/
• ²² Brasil. Dispõe sobre o ingresso nas universidades federais e nas instituições federais de ensino técnico de nível médio e dá outras providências. 2012. Available from: <https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011-2014/2012/lei/l12711.htm> [2023 August]
  » https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011-2014/2012/lei/l12711.htm
• ²³ Brasil. Reserva de Matrículas. Educação Profissional e Tecnológica. Rede Federal. Ministério da Educação. Brasília; 2024. Available from: <https://www.gov.br/mec/pt-br/areas-de-atuacao/ept/rede-federal/reserva-de-matriculas> [2024 November].
  » https://www.gov.br/mec/pt-br/areas-de-atuacao/ept/rede-federal/reserva-de-matriculas
• ²⁴ IFCE. Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará IFCE. Fortaleza; 2016 [citado 15 de. Formas de in-gresso. Available from: <https://ifce.edu.br/acesso-a-informacao/formas-de-ingresso> [2024 August].
  » https://ifce.edu.br/acesso-a-informacao/formas-de-ingresso
• ²⁵ Brasil. Resolução n° 466, de 12 de dezembro de 2012. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde. Conselho Nacional de Saúde; 2012. Available from:<https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/saudelegis/cns/2013/res0466_12_12_2012.html> [2020 August].
  » https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/saudelegis/cns/2013/res0466_12_12_2012.html
• ²⁶ Brasil. Orientações para condução de pesquisas e atividade dos CEP durante a pandemia provocada pelo Coro-navírus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Brasília: Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria-Executiva do Conselho Nacional de Saúde. Comissão Nacional de Ética em Pesquisa; 2020. Available from: <https://www.gov.br/conselho-nacional-de-saude/pt-br/acesso-a-informacao/sobre-o-conselho/camaras-tecnicas-e-comissoes/conep/publicacoes/orientacoes-para-comites-de-etica-em-pesquisa-e-pesquisadores-de-9-de-maio-de-2020.pdf> [2021 May].
  » https://www.gov.br/conselho-nacional-de-saude/pt-br/acesso-a-informacao/sobre-o-conselho/camaras-tecnicas-e-comissoes/conep/publicacoes/orientacoes-para-comites-de-etica-em-pesquisa-e-pesquisadores-de-9-de-maio-de-2020.pdf
• ²⁷ Luiz RR, Magnanini MMF. A lógica da determinaçäo do tamanho da amostra em investigaçöes epidemiológicas. Cad saúde colet, (Rio J). 2000;8(2):9-28.
• ²⁸ IBGE. Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. PeNSE - Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar. Brasília; 2015. Available from: <https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatisticas/sociais/educacao/9134-pesquisa-nacional-de-saude-do-escolar.html?edicao=9135> [2023 August].
  » https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatisticas/sociais/educacao/9134-pesquisa-nacional-de-saude-do-escolar.html?edicao=9135
• ²⁹ Crochemore-Silva I, Restrepo-Mendez MC, Costa JC, Ewerling F, Hellwig F, Ferreira LZ, et al. Measurement of social inequalities in health: concepts and methodological approaches in the Brazilian context. Epidemiol Serv Saude. 2018;27(1):e000100017. doi: https://doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742018000100017
  » https://doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742018000100017
• ³⁰ Martins RC, Ricardo LIC, Mendonça G, de Rosa DL, da Gama Bastos LLA, de Vargas Nunes Coll C, et al. Temporal Trends of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Simultaneity in Brazilian Students. J Phys Act Health. 2018;15(5):331-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2016-0700PubMed PMID: 29421970.
  » https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2016-0700PubMed
• ³¹ Bergmann GG, Bergmann ML de A, Marques AC, Hallal PC. Prevalence of physical inactivity and associated factors among adolescents from public schools in Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Cad Saúde Pública. 2013;29:2217-29. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311x00077512
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311x00077512
• ³² Soares CAM, Leão OA de A, Freitas MP, Hallal PC, Wagner MB. Tendência temporal de atividade física em adolescen-tes brasileiros: análise da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar de 2009 a 2019. Cad Saúde Pública. 2023;39:e00063423. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311XPT063423
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311XPT063423
• ³³ Castro VHS de. Habilidades para a vida em estudantes do Ensino Médio no Ceará: Inquérito em uma instituição com política de Educação Física e Esporte [Dissertação de mestrado]. Fortaleza: Universidade Estadual do Ceará; 2021.
• ³⁴ Volshøj ES, Jensen JO. Versatility and pedagogical models in physical education. Phys Educ Sport Pedagogy. 2024;29(3):235-44. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2022.2054970
  » https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2022.2054970
• ³⁵ Machado RB, Fonseca DG da, Medeiros FM, Tavares N da silva, Souza NF de. Educação Física na Educação Básica Diálogos e Possibilidades 3 Edição. Porto Alegre, RS: ESEFID/UFRGS; 2021.
• ³⁶ Amaral HT, Cunha JM da, Weber LND. Desenvolvimento Positivo de Jovens: perspectivas para a pesquisa e inter-venção. Revista InCantare. 2022;17(2):7-29. doi: https://doi.org/10.33871/2317417X.2022.17.2.8314
  » https://doi.org/10.33871/2317417X.2022.17.2.8314
• ³⁷ Rooney LE, Videto DM, Birch DA. Using the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model: Implications for Practice. J Sch Health. 2015;85(11):817-23. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12304
  » https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12304
• ³⁸ Ippolito-Shepherd J. A promoção da saúde no âmbito escolar: a iniciativa regional escolas promotoras de saúde. In: Cadernos de Escolas Promotoras de Saúde - I. Brasília: Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria; 2003. Available from: <https://www.sbp.com.br/fileadmin/user_upload/img/cadernosbpfinal.pdf>. [2025 January].
  » https://www.sbp.com.br/fileadmin/user_upload/img/cadernosbpfinal.pdf
• ³⁹ Brasil. Guia de Atividade Física para a População Brasileira. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Atenção Primária à Saúde. Departamento de Promoção da Saúde; 2021. Available from: <https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/guia_atividade_fisica_populacao_brasileira.pdf> [2021 April].
  » https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/guia_atividade_fisica_populacao_brasileira.pdf
• ⁴⁰ Cairney J, Clark HJ, Kwan MYW, Bruner M, Tamminen K. Measuring sport experiences in children and youth to better understand the impact of sport on health and positive youth development: designing a brief measure for population health surveys. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):446. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5325-9
  » https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5325-9

Edited by

• Editor in Chief
  Átila Alexandre Trapé https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6487-8160
  University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.

• Section editor
  Inácio Crochemore Mohnsam da Silva https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5390-8360
  Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Reviewer A

About the reviewer

Reviewer A

• • Was any indication of plagiarism observed in the manuscript?

• • No

• • Did the authors provide clarification on the ethical procedures adopted for conducting the research?

• • Yes

Comments to the author

• • The manuscript entitled “Experiences in Physical Education and Sport: a descriptive analysis accord-ing to sociodemographic conditions” aimed to de-scribe positive and negative experiences in Physical Education classes and in Sport, and their relation-ships with inequities based on sociodemographic characteristics. This study is extremely important, as it presents the students’ perspectives on the experi-ences lived in Physical Education classes and sports practices, in addition to presenting data related to inequities during Physical Education classes-a relevant and underexplored topic. In this sense, this work has great relevance for the field of Physical Education, especially for studies related to school Physical Education. Therefore, some necessary corrections are suggested to make the manuscript more comprehensible.

Title

• • I suggest inserting the word inequities in order to align the title with the study objective.

• • Suggested title: Experiences in Physical Education and Sport: a descriptive analysis of inequities ac-cording to sociodemographic conditions.

Abstract

• • Align the objective presented in the abstract with that of the introduction.

• • Add the main results related to inequities that were found in the study.

• • On line 18, replace the phrase “greater more pos-itive experiences in Physical Education classes” with: greater positive experiences in Physical Edu-cation classes or reported more positive experiences in Physical Education classes.

• • Adjust these changes in the Abstract as well.

Keywords

• • I suggest replacing Physical Education and Train-ing with School Physical Education.

Introduction

• • On page 2 (lines 22-24), the authors state that “the potential of experiences in Physical Education classes and in Sport (PES) was explored from the perspective of Positive Youth Development (PYD)”; however, there is no further discussion of how this approach relates to Physical Education classes. As a suggestion, the authors could further elaborate on this relationship and discuss this approach in light of the results found in the discussion section. This approach is mentioned only in the introduction and is neither further commented on nor related throughout the text. In addition, on page 3 (line 1), the approach is presented as “holistic and inclusive,” but there is no further information about where, when, and by whom this approach was developed.

Method

• • In the data collection procedure, on page 6 (lines 5-8), the monitoring of data collection with par-ticipants is mentioned; however, it is not clear how this monitoring occurred. Was it carried out during synchronous classes? Asynchronous classes? Please clarify how this procedure was conducted.

• • On page 8 (lines 4-5), the indices used to assess inequities are presented. Therefore, it is necessary to add a brief explanation of how these indices are assessed and interpreted: do higher values indicate greater inequities and inequalities? Or do lower values indicate fewer inequities and inequalities be-tween groups? As currently described in the Meth-ods and presented in the Results, it is not possi-ble to understand these indices without consulting Crochemore-Silva et al., 2018. This brief explana-tion will help readers better interpret and under-stand the results found.

• • In addition, the authors cite Crochemore-Silva et al., 2018, and should follow the same citation for-mat used for other articles according to the journal’s guidelines, and add this article to the reference list.

Results

• • On page 12 (lines 34-35), it is stated that: “These results indicate that, although girls report greater negative experiences, the values are not statistically significant.” However, in the same paragraph, the authors show that girls presented better values for personal experiences, which are related to positive experiences (is that correct?), and better values for overall experiences in PES. Therefore, why does the paragraph conclude by emphasizing that girls had more negative experiences, even though these expe-riences were not significant?

• • The results regarding inequities and inequalities are not tangible to readers; it is important to make clearer what these findings actually mean. A new reading of these data is needed, and the writing should aim to translate them into something un-derstandable for readers who are becoming familiar with studies on inequities and inequalities.

• • An example to clarify the issue mentioned above: on page 12, lines 39-41, it is reported that “the CIX (0.0290) and SII (9.85) indices in personal and social skills pointed to a greater concentration in favor of older students.” It is not clear what this in-formation represents. Is it a greater concentration of inequities and inequalities? Do older students present more inequalities than younger students in Physical Education classes? Or do older students present fewer inequalities than younger students? During the reading of the results, this information is not accessible to readers.

• • Another example, still on page 12 (lines 42-43), when it is reported that “CIX was significant for initiative experiences, as well as both indices (CIX and SII) were significant for negative experienc-es”-what does this represent? Does it mean that students who have better initiative experiences in Physical Education classes present fewer inequi-ties? These are very important data to be presented to the field as a whole, but they need to be more understandable during reading.

• • This needs to be reviewed throughout the entire Results section.

Discussion

• • In the introduction, on page 2 (lines 22-24), the authors state that “the potential of experiences in Physical Education classes and in Sport (PES) was explored from the perspective of Positive Youth Development (PYD),” but this is not revisited at any point in the discussion. In a way, this approach mentioned in the introduction gets lost in the text. After the results found, what is the importance of this approach? If it is to be maintained in the manu-script, it is important to bring it into the discussion.

• • An important finding in the results is that girls reported more positive experiences compared to boys, but this is not discussed in depth in this section. The authors do not sufficiently explore this important topic, considering that studies on physical activity levels consistently show girls to be less active and more sedentary than boys (as presented in the arti-cle Temporal Trends of Physical Activity and Sed-entary Behavior Simultaneity in Brazilian Students, by Martins et al., 2018), and that this greater phys-ical inactivity is often associated with not liking or not participating in Physical Education classes (as published in Prevalence of physical inactivity and associated factors among adolescents from public schools in Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, by Bergmann et al., 2013). Moreover, when participation in Physical Education classes is ob-served, girls participate at least 20 minutes less than boys (as presented by Soares et al., 2023, in the ar-ticle “Temporal trend of physical activity in Bra-zilian adolescents: analysis of the National School Health Survey from 2009 to 2019”). Therefore, the authors could further explore and discuss this find-ing regarding girls’ positive experiences in Physical Education classes.

• • Another important result, presented on page 13 (lines 1-4 of the Results section), shows that Indig-enous students reported greater negative experienc-es and that inequity indices favor inequality among non-white students; these data are extremely im-portant and are not discussed.

• • The authors highlight in the discussion that few in-equities were found in the study. One factor that may be related to a better perception of experiences in Physical Education classes is that the study was conducted at a federal institute, a setting presumed to have better physical infrastructure and materials for Physical Education classes and sports practices. In addition, teachers are better paid compared to teachers in basic education in general, which may be directly related to the development of better classes and, consequently, to better experiences for students, thus reducing inequities in this context. This aspect is not discussed in greater depth.

• • Pay attention to citations and ensure they follow the journal’s guidelines.

• • References: Add the reference Crochemore-Silva et al., 2018.

Final decision (recommendation)

• • Minor revisions

Reviewer B

About the reviewer

Reviewer B

• • Congratulations on the work and for addressing a relevant topic with an important approach to in-equalities. I believe the comments below can help improve the manuscript for future publication.

• • Regarding the objectives, I suggest revising the wording to make it clear that the study will de-scribe the perception of experiences in PE and that inequality in this indicator will be assessed. The phrase “relationship with inequities” seems to be adding noise.

• • In the methods, it is necessary to clearly state that the study covers the federal school network at the state level (both in the abstract and at the beginning of the methods section).

• • It is necessary to specify for which outcome the sample size calculation was performed. In its cur-rent generic form, this is inadequate.

• • Regarding the analyses of race/color inequalities, it is not appropriate to use SII and CIX, as these are sum-mary measures of inequality for ordinal stratifiers. For the categories being used, a simple or complex measure suitable for nominal variables is required.

• • In the results, I suggest better explaining the inter-pretation where the percentage related to the in-verted scale is presented: “As previously mentioned, the inversion of the scale of the negative experienc-es dimension, where higher scores indicate a lower perception of these experiences, revealed scores of 93.0% (SD = 11.8) in PE classes.”

• • Figure 1 was not identified.

• • When presenting the results of sex differences in Table 2, the authors need to be more direct in stat-ing that there is no difference in the perception of PE experiences across any domain between boys and girls. As written, it suggests a direction (differ-ence) that the authors themselves state does not ex-ist (last sentence of the paragraph). The same should be applied to the other interpretations in the table.

• • Correctly report the unit of measurement for SII and for the differences (percentage points).

• • In the discussion, I suggest summarizing the first three paragraphs, presenting only the highlights and avoiding excessive repetition of the results sec-tion.

• • Regarding the percentage of experience scores, is there a possibility of comparison with the literature?

• • Concerning strengths, I suggest mentioning that representativeness is limited to the federal school network of the state of Ceará. This could also be presented as a limitation or discussed earlier. The direction of some inequalities and the absence of others may be related to the student profile, stan-dardized structures, and teaching staff-i.e., a reali-ty quite different from other schools.

• • In the limitations, issues related to the pandemic are mentioned. However, I think it is necessary to discuss how the data collection period may have more directly affected the results regarding the per-ception of experiences.

• • Finally, I highlight the need for caution in the use of the term “inequity.” For example, when stating that there is an inequity in PE experience between stu-dents whose parents have lower education compared to those whose parents have higher education, the authors are making a value judgment that this dif-ference is unfair. I believe this is a mistaken way to frame the debate, as we may actually be observing actions focused on equity-providing more attention to those who need it most-and resulting in more positive experiences among less privileged groups.

• • Therefore, I consider it extremely important to present the results as differences or inequalities, and to include in the discussion a paragraph explaining the distinction between inequality and inequity and reflecting on the findings.

Final decision

• • Minor revisions

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  24 July 2026
• Date of issue
  2026

History

• Received
  05 Dec 2025
• Reviewed
  13 Sept 2025
• Accepted
  14 Jan 2026