A recent study finds students who are allowed to commute to school on their own are more likely to develop stronger decision-making abilities and safety perception.
The study was published in Journal Acta Paediatrica and was conducted by three members of the research group PROFITH (Promoting Fitness and Health through Physical Activity). All three contributors are also professors in the Department of Physical Education and Sport at the University of Granada, Spain.
The study was fostered by an initiative from Granada’s provincial government and its Department of Environment with the goal of promoting safe and healthy ways to commute to school.
The researchers surveyed 745 public school students, in the Spanish Granada region, ranging from ages six to 12, according to Medical Express.
In a questionnaire, students were asked whether they went to school accompanied by an adult or alone. They were also asked about the safety measures they take in commuting to school.
The study found children who travel to school without the assistance of an adult are more likely to possess more self-confidence, better self-governing skills, stronger decision-making abilities and an increased perception of safety.
Children ages 10 to 12 are more likely to commute to school unaccompanied by an elder and in an active way, according to the study.
The study also found that actively commuting to school, whether by walking or cycling, fosters a healthier lifestyle for students.
“This increases physical activity and cardiovascular health in children that commute actively, especially in those that go cycling,” says Manuel Herrador, a researcher at the University of Granada.
Earlier studies have also shown a link between active commuting and an enhancement in cognitive skills, psychological health and academic performance, reports NDTV.
However, the study also found that compared to previous decades, independent mobility has decreased due to parental worries.
