Introduction:

psychosocial development affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and academic performance (AP).

Objective:

to determine differences in self-esteem, body image dissatisfaction, and HRQoL between girls who practice dancing, girls who play sports, and girls who perform no physical activity and to determine the association between these variables and AP.

Method:

252 girls between 9 and 14 years of age were enrolled into three groups: no physical activity (NAF, n = 99, 10.25 ± 1.10 years, BMI = 21.97 ± 11.69 kg/m2), sports (DEP, n = 82, 10.54 ± 1.19 years, BMI = 21.36 ± 3.99 kg/m2), and dancing (DAN, n = 71, 10.51 ± 1.2 years, BMI = 20.08 ± 3.68 kg/m2), and anthropometric parameters, psychosocial variables, HRQoL, and AP were measured.

Results:

HRQoL scores (p < 0.001) and global self-esteem (p = 0.001) were higher for girls who practiced dancing. Regarding HRQoL-related questions; Have you felt well and in good physical condition? (38.0%, p = 0.007); Are you doing well in school? (31.0%, p = 0.010); have you been able to pay attention? (39.4%, p = 0.023), girls who practiced dancing reported the highest proportion of “very much” responses. The results of a multiple regression analysis showed that HRQoL (B = 0.023, p = 0.001) and school self-esteem (B = 0.054, p = 0.010) were associated with AP.

Conclusion:

girls who practice dancing have greater self-esteem, HRQoL, and physical and school well-being. This suggests that practicing dancing is an activity that may potentially improve psychosocial well-being and school adaptation.

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