Psychological and pedagogical aspects of learning and education in sports and physical activity: A systematic review of modern research

Abstract

The psychological and pedagogical aspects of sports and physical activity are important for the motivation and success of schoolchildren and students, but the systematization of data in this area is limited. The aim is to summarize empirical research data from people aged 6-25 years based on 20 articles. Methods: a systematic review of PRISMA in seven databases (2015–2026). 20 articles were selected from 187 sources that passed the quality assessment (PEDro – 6.1; QUADAS‑2 – low risk for 7 works). A meta–analysis was performed for motivation, and a narrative synthesis was performed for the remaining outcomes. Results: The Sport Education model surpasses traditional training in motivation and motor performance, but fidelity is recorded in only 54% of studies. Gamification increases engagement (100% of work), controlled design – in 4 out of 17. Digital technologies improve physical activity (12 out of 17) and motor skills (10 studies), barriers include lack of time, equipment, and teacher training. For athletes studying, the main barriers are skipping classes (57%) and leisure (50%); cultural differences: Russia has a value–based approach, the USA has a technocratic one. 43% of boys and 40% of girls have motivation for success, and an ultra-high level is associated with a risk of anxiety. The developed 7 self-training complexes prevented a decrease in physical fitness (in the control group, the drop was 25-43%). The prevalence of mental health problems among elite athletes is 51.7% (women – 58.2%). Conclusion: fidelity of models, individualization of motivation and multilevel support of a dual career are necessary. Research on hybrid models, the long-term effects of digital technologies, and culturally adapted tools is promising.