An Empathetic Approach to Physical Education Teacher Education

The current crisis in societal obesity and other inactivity-related chronic health disorders has become a widespread concern in the United States. Physical Education (PE), with its propensity for physical activity, has the potential to provide solutions to many chronic health issues. However, a large body of literature suggests that generations of students have been “turned off” to lifelong physical activity because of negative experiences in traditional PE classes. A more student-centered approach may be needed to ensure that all students have an opportunity to lead a healthy, physical life. The purpose of this research study was to determine the effect of a semester-long empathy-focused educational intervention on empathy levels in 59 college-level students studying in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) Programs at three East-coast universities. A quantitative pre-post quasi-experimental design with control groups was used to measure changes in pre-existing empathy levels among participants. Subjects were given the Davis Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) empathy scale and a reflective essay assignment. Experimental groups participated in a curricular intervention involving an emphasis on empathy and affective educational practices. ANCOVA results revealed statistically significant findings in “Higher Order” empathy levels in the experimental groups, F (1, 49) = 4.36, p = .04. Analysis of reflective essays also suggested a change in experimental group subjects’ personal view of PE toward an empathetic approach. Study strengths, weaknesses, and implications for future research and practice are discussed. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my most sincere appreciation to Dr. Susan Roush who spent countless hours working with me to make this project worthy of a dissertation. Thank you for your insight, guidance and belief in my work. Thank you to committee member Dr. Karen Castagno, for contributing valuable instruction, assistance, and enthusiasm, and to committee member Dr. Lori Ciccomascolo, for being a strong contributor and supporter of my professional endeavors. Thank you to committee member Dr. Roger Eldridge and committee Chair Dr. Margie Rogers for coming on board to help me when