The effect of a physical activity programme on the selfesteem of pre-primary HIV-directly affected learners

Abstract

Literature shows that HIV/AIDS greatly affects the self-esteem of HIV/AIDS affected learners (these affected learners are either directly infected, or one or both parents are or had been infected). Studies also show that developmentally appropriate physical activities can have a positive influence on a child's self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a developmentally appropriate physical activity programme on the gross motor and perceptual motor skills and the selfesteem of HIV/AIDS-affected learners. Eight gross motor and perceptual motor skills, as well as self-esteem was evaluated among 30 directly-affected learners in a preprimary school for terminally sick children in Potchefstroom. Evaluation took place before and after the implementation of a 12-week long developmentally appropriate physical activity programme. The motor scores as well as the self-esteem scores of the experimental group showed statistically significant (p<0.05) improvements after the completion of the programme, in contrast with the scores of the control group which showed no significant improvements. These improvements entailed certain fundamental locomotor and balance skills, and self-perceived competence with reference to certain movement skills, as well as peer acceptance. The results imply that by improving the gross motor and perceptual motor skills of HIV/AIDS-affected learners by means of a developmentally appropriate physical activity programme, the self-esteem and related aspects of these learners may be enhanced.

South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation Vol. 28(2) 2006: 55-71