Impact of Physical Education on the development of social skills
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v81.118657Keywords:
Physical Education , social skills, cooperative learning, socioemotional developmentAbstract
Introduction: Physical Education (PE) constitutes a privileged setting for the development of social and socio-emotional skills among lower secondary school students. However, its impact requires intentional interventions that integrate cooperative, playful, and reflective dynamics.
Objective: To analyse the impact of a pedagogical intervention in PE on the strengthening of social skills in students from ten public institutions in Bogotá and Tunja.
Methodology: A quantitative approach and quasi-experimental design were employed. A total of 987 students aged between 12 and 17 participated. A pre–post design was applied using the Social Skills Scale adapted from Goldstein and Tomás. The intervention consisted of 12 sessions of two hours each, including cooperative, recreational, and playful activities. Mean differences were examined through Student’s t‑test, and descriptive statistics and correlations were cal.
Results Significant increases were observed across all evaluated dimensions: basic social skills, advanced skills, skills related to emotions, alternatives to aggression, stress management, and planning (p < 0.001). Emotional skills showed the greatest improvements, whilst planning presented more moderate progress. Correlations between dimensions were low, suggesting relatively independent developmental patterns.
Discussion: The findings confirm that intentional, cooperation-based PE supports social and emotional development. Improvements in emotional regulation, cooperation, and aggression control are consistent with previous interventions, although higher‑order skills require more time and autonomy to develop fully.
Conclusions: The intervention demonstrated the effectiveness of PE in enhancing social skills, reinforcing its role as a comprehensive formative space. Extending programme duration, diversifying strategies, and deepening complementary evaluations are recommended to strengthen.
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