The Impact of Integrating Ethnic Sports in School Education on Minority Students' Physical Fitness: The Role of Cultural Identity as a Mediator

Abstract

As ethnic sports can improve students' physical health and cultural heritage, there is increased interest in incorporating them into school curricula. The current literature on this topic doesn't fully examine the basic mechanisms and contextual factors that affect these relationships, especially for minority students. This study aimed to investigate how including ethnic sports in school curricula relates to the cultural identity and physical fitness outcomes of minority students. In addition, the research aimed to explore how cultural identity plays a role in between, and how the school environment and socioeconomic status affect this relationship. The research used a quantitative design and included minority students from various cultural backgrounds as participants. A total of 470 minority students were used in the study to collect data. Students' participation in ethnic sports, their sense of cultural identification, and their level of physical fitness were evaluated by self-report questionnaires. The researchers used statistical methods like mediation and moderation models and regression analysis to look into the connections and test the ideas. The study's findings showed a statistically significant and favorable relationship between the inclusion of ethnic sports in the academic curriculum and students' levels of physical fitness. Furthermore, it was shown that cultural identity mediated the relationship, suggesting that students' levels of cultural identification contributed to their motivation to exercise. The results showed that the relationship between ethnic sports integration and fitness outcomes was moderated by the educational environment.  Specifically, a school environment that fosters support and inclusivity was found to amplify the favorable impact of ethnic sports integration on physical fitness outcomes. The relationship, however, was not significantly moderated by socioeconomic status. The present study adds to the extant body of literature by furnishing empirical substantiation regarding the favorable influence of assimilating ethnic sports on the physical fitness outcomes and cultural identity of students.