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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2025 Apr 16;20(4):e0319414.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319414. eCollection 2025.

Empowering Obese Children in Physical Education: Exploring the Influence of Verbal Encouragement on Games Intensity, Mood States, and Physical Enjoyment during Passing Games

Bilel Aydi  1   2 , Okba Selmi  1   2 , Bruno E Figueira  3   4 , Mohamed Abdelkader Souissi  5   6 , Bruno Gonçalves  3   4 , Katsuhiko Suzuki  7 , Beat Knechtle  8   9 , Che-Yi Yang  10 , Yung-Sheng Chen  11   12   13 , Nizar Souissi  14
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Empowering Obese Children in Physical Education: Exploring the Influence of Verbal Encouragement on Games Intensity, Mood States, and Physical Enjoyment during Passing Games

Bilel Aydi et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of physical education teachers' verbal encouragements on the psychophysiological aspects, physical enjoyment, and mood states of obese children (OC) in a physical education context. Sixteen OC students (mean age = 13.81 ± 0.73 years) from a preparatory school participated in two test sessions, conducted in a randomized order. Each session involved a series of passing games (games of 10 successive passes) with and without verbal encouragement, with a one-week interval between sessions. The games, formatted as 3 vs. 3 with two additional obese joker' players, lasted 18 minutes. Each game comprised four 3-minute active periods interspersed with 2-minute passive recovery bouts, played on a 10 × 20-m pitch. Heart rate was continuously measured throughout each session. Additionally, the Brunel Mood Scale (BMS) was assessed before and after the PG. Furthermore, rating of perceived exertion (OMNI-RPE) and physical activity enjoyment (PACES) were assessed after the testing sessions. Video analysis was used to quantify technical actions during PG. PGs with VE induced higher HR (% maximum HR and mean HR), OMNI-RPE, and PACES scores than PGs without VE (ES=-1.51, ES=-0.78, ES=-0.73, ES=2.07, respectively). Compared with PGs without VE, SSGs with VE resulted in an increased percentage of successful passes, number of Goal (10 passes) and fewer lost balls (ES=O.70, ES=-0.54, ES=-0.86, respectively). The PGVE trial also showed higher vigor and lower total mood disturbance (TMD) compared to the PGNVE trial (ES = -1.11, d = 0.78, respectively). Physical education teachers are encouraged to incorporate joker exercises with verbal encouragement to enhance game intensity, mood state, physical enjoyment and technical performance during games among OCs.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. The technical performance, psychophysiological responses, and enjoyment between PGVE and PGNVE trials.
p= Between group-subject effect; *= indicates significant differences between conditions; PGVE = passing game with verbal encouragement; PGNVE = passing game without verbal encouragement; ES = effect size; Suc. Pass= Successful passes; RPE = rated of perceived exertion.
Fig 2
Fig 2. The results of mood status between PGVE and PGNVE trials.
p = Between group-subject effect; *= indicates significant differences between conditions; PGVE = passing game with verbal encouragement, PGNVE = passing game without verbal encouragement; TMD = Total Mood Disturbance.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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