The aim of this study was to examine students’ views on the extent to which uniforms are a barrier to physical activity (PA) and physical education (PE) participation in Irish secondary schools. Students (N = 1439; 58.2% female) from a purposive sample of 18 secondary schools completed an online survey. Uniforms were perceived to be a barrier for over half of students in PE lessons (54.5%) and outside of PE lessons (58.1%). Notably, 30% of students’ recommendations for improving their general experience of PE referenced school uniform design and being allowed to wear PE kit all day, eliminating the need to use changing rooms. Modifying uniform policies to allow for more comfortable and practical attire could enhance PA levels and improve students’ overall PE experience.
O’Keeffe, B. T., Grady, C., McHale, F., Murtagh, E
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1356336X261422164
Dr Brendan O’Keeffe is an Associate Professor in Physical Education in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, UL.
Contact: Brendan.okeeffe@ul.ie Follow on twitter: @BrendanOK_
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