| Abstract | The LiiNK (Let's inspire innovation 'N Kids) project implements more unstructured play into a child's daily school schedule; totaling at least 60 minutes per day. With the additional unstructured playtime, the LiiNKs project has seen significant improvements in children's behavior, listening, and ability to stay on task during classroom learning. The purpose of this study was to measure children's cortisol levels in both a LiiNK intervention school and a nonintervention school to see how more unstructured play affects their cortisol levels. This study specifically looked at 3rd graders and measured their cortisol levels using hair samples and a subjective stress test, the Stress in Children Questionnaire (SiC). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of unstructured play on children's perceived and physiological stress levels, designed as a pilot study to determine feasibility of the study methods in young children. This study is part of a larger LiiNK Project and participants in this study include children in the 3rd grade at a LiiNK intervention elementary school and nonintervention elementary school. Salimetrics hair collection kits were used to measure the cortisol samples from the hair, specifically, the ELISA kit. A team member used the CORT extraction procedure to get the cortisol measurement from the hair. This study is among the first to examine the relationship between unstructured play (physical exercise) and hair cortisol measurements in the school-aged child. While the group difference in cortisol was not statistically significant, it is clinically relevant. The findings suggest that the hypothesis that the students who have more unstructured play time will have lower cortisol levels, may be correct. |
