title: Effectiveness of a Playground Intervention for Antisocial, Prosocial, and Physical Activity Behaviors.
abstract: We examined the effectiveness of Peaceful Playgrounds™ (P2) to decrease antisocial behaviors (ASB) while increasing physical activity (PA) and prosocial behaviors (PSB) in elementary school children.
  
  
  
  A longitudinal, cluster-randomized design was employed in 4 elementary school playgrounds where students (third to fifth) from 2 intervention and 2 control schools were observed during recess periods. The intervention included environmental changes (eg, marked surfaces) and student education. Data were collected using systematic observations of youth behavior and semistructured interviews conducted with key informants. Mixed-effects regression models controlling for scans nested within days nested within schools estimated the interaction of measurement period and treatment condition on children's PA, PSB, and ASB. It was hypothesized that children in intervention, but not control schools, would demonstrate increased PA/PSB and decreased ASB.
  
  
  
  Contrary to the hypotheses, intervention and control schools showed favorable changes for all dependent variables except for PSB, but 1 intervention and 1 control school drove these effects. Follow-up interviews indicated variability in implementation and lack of adherence to the control condition.
  
  
  
  P2 may promote increased PA during recess, but these results demonstrate the complexity of intervention implementation and the need for rigor when measuring intervention fidelity in real-world settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Discovery I, Suite 529, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208.
authors.forename: Carlene A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mayfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Discovery I, Suite 529, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Child
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Public Health Research Center, Suite 130, 921 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29208.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences, University of South Carolina, Barnwell 556, Columbia, SC 29208.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zarrett
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Public Health Research Center, Suite 130, 921 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29208.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beets
authors.affiliation: Department of Family & Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157.
authors.forename: Justin B
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4059-0538
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D011998:Recreation; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: playground-based physical activity; school recess; school-based physical activity