Sport and physical exercise of Thai university student : influence from secondary schooling experiences.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between (a) university students’ sports and physical exercise habits and (b) their previous educational experiences. Methods: A total of 256 students in a Thai university completed a questionnaire, asking respondents to indicate how often and how long they engage in various types of sport and physical exercise. Demographic variables including the type of secondary school were also measured. Results: Scale reliability analysis demonstrated acceptable Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from .660 to .719, for three indexes of sports and physical exercise engagement. The first of these indexes was composed of three scales measuring the frequency of different intensity levels of engagement. The second index covered 12 scales measuring the frequency of each type of engagement (e.g., basketball, badminton, and walking). The last index was the sum of the first two indexes coupled with a scale measuring the weekly hours of engagement. Analysis suggested that students from international schools had significantly more engagement in sport and physical exercise than those who graduated from local Thai high schools. Male students were more significantly engaged in sport and physical exercise than female students. There was no significant interaction between the secondary school type and gender. Conclusion: The findings seem to indicate that different types of secondary school experiences may influence how university students engage in sport and physical exercise. Students from Thai secondary schools appear to engage less often in these activities than those educated at international schools.