Rosa Gómez-Martínez

This systematic review examined three complementary lines of intervention evidence in children and adolescents aged 6–18 years: (1) mobile app-supported physical activity (PA) interventions and learning-relevant cognitive, motivational, and psychosocial outcomes; (2) PA/physical education (PE) interventions and bullying/cyberbullying outcomes; and (3) mobile app-based interventions and bullying/cyberbullying outcomes. Twenty-two intervention studies identified across four databases between September 2016 and September 2026 were included. The results were organized into two main domains: bullying/cyberbullying and learning-relevant cognitive, motivational, and psychosocial outcomes. These outcomes were examined across emotional–motivational, sociobehavioral, and cognitive dimensions. In the emotional–motivational dimension, favorable outcomes were observed in self-efficacy, motivation, and emotional well-being, although effects varied across studies. In the sociobehavioral dimension, benefits were identified in prosocial behavior, social relationships, and peer support. Some studies also reported improvements in attention, concentration, and other cognitive functions related to learning. Regarding bullying/cyberbullying, an evidence gap was identified. No identified study evaluated the effects of mobile app-based PA interventions on bullying/cyberbullying-related outcomes. Interventions were also classified according to whether mobile applications were used independently or in combination with wearable devices or other digital technologies. Overall, the findings suggest that mobile applications may extend the benefits of PA beyond physical outcomes and promote learning-relevant cognitive, motivational, and psychosocial outcomes. Finally, the main evidence gaps were identified to guide the design of future interventions targeting children and adolescents.

This systematic review analysed the role, opportunities and challenges of digital technologies in promoting physical activity among rural children and adolescents aged 10–18. By identifying and analyzing 10 eligible studies across four major databases between June 2016 and June 2026, the research classified the tools used into five categories: behaviour-monitoring technologies (like wearable activity trackers), educational technologies (digital learning platforms), communication and social media technologies, immersive technologies (virtual and augmented reality), and digital health technologies. The implications of these tools were examined in relation to physical education curricula and the development of healthy lifestyles. While the available evidence suggests that these technologies support rural youth by enhancing self-monitoring, increasing health awareness, improving access to educational resources, and creating context-specific opportunities for active engagement, the data reveals that evidence of sustained improvements in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity remains limited. Furthermore, implementation is heavily hindered by barriers such as the digital divide, limited technological infrastructure, inequalities in resource access, and the threat of sedentary behaviours associated with excessive screen time. Consequently, the findings underscore a need for coordinated educational and health strategies, offering practical recommendations to integrate these digital technologies within rural educational settings to foster long-term active lifestyles.

Background/Objectives: Adolescence is a key period for the development of physical activity habits and school-related behaviors. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has been associated with cognitive and educational outcomes, but its relationship with different dimensions of school engagement in rural and urban contexts remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between weekly MVPA and behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement among adolescents attending rural and urban schools in southern Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted with 282 adolescents (199 from urban schools and 83 from rural schools). School engagement was assessed using the Spanish version of the School Engagement Measure, and weekly MVPA was measured using the PACE+ Adolescent Physical Activity Measure. Adolescents were classified as active or inactive according to whether they reported at least five days per week of MVPA. ANCOVA and binary logistic regression analyses were performed separately by school context, adjusting for age, sex, and BMI. Complementary interaction analyses were conducted to test whether the associations differed across school contexts. Results: No significant differences were found between rural and urban adolescents in MVPA or school engagement. In urban schools, active adolescents showed significantly higher cognitive engagement than inactive adolescents. Lower weekly MVPA was also associated with higher odds of low cognitive engagement in urban adolescents. No significant associations were observed for behavioral or emotional engagement, or among rural adolescents. Conclusions: In subgroup-specific analyses, weekly MVPA was associated with cognitive engagement among adolescents attending urban schools. Given the cross-sectional design, convenience sampling, and self-reported assessment of MVPA, these findings should be interpreted as correlational and cannot establish causality. Moreover, the interaction analyses provided no evidence that the association differed significantly between rural and urban school contexts.