Mixed PE Program Using Sports Games and Ball Sports in Left-Behind Children

This randomized controlled trial evaluates whether a 12-week school-based physical education program that combines cooperative sports games and ball sports can improve mental health and physical fitness in rural left-behind children. Left-behind children are those who remain in rural areas while one or both parents migrate for work. These children may experience social and emotional challenges in addition to physical health concerns. Forty sixth-grade boarding students who met the criteria for left-behind children were randomly assigned to either a mixed training group or a usual physical education control group. The intervention was delivered during regular school physical education classes three times per week, 90 minutes per session, for 12 weeks. Each session included cooperative physical games designed to promote peer interaction, followed by structured soccer or basketball training activities. Mental health was assessed using the Mental Health Test (MHT), and physical fitness was evaluated using standardized school-based tests including lung function, running performance, flexibility, and coordination. Outcomes were measured before and after the intervention. The study aims to determine whether optimizing the structure of routine school physical education can provide a feasible and scalable strategy to support both psychological well-being and physical development in vulnerable child populations.