The impact of elective physical education on high school students' core PE competencies: a quasi-experimental study

Background Elective physical education (EPE) is a key curricular reform in China, yet evidence on its influence on high school students' core competencies in physical education (CCPE) remains limited. This study examined whether EPE was associated with greater pre–post improvements in CCPE among Chinese high school students. Methods A quasi-experimental, school-level allocated, parallel-group pretest–posttest design was conducted with 196 Grade 11 students in Chongqing, China. The intervention group received EPE, and the control group continued conventional PE. CCPE was assessed using the Core Competencies in Physical Education Evaluation Scale for High School Students. Intervention effects were tested using a 2 (time) × 2 (group) mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA. Results Significant time × group interactions were observed for overall CCPE and all three domains (athletic ability, health behaviors, and sport morals), indicating small but consistent differential pre–post gains favoring EPE relative to conventional PE in students' self-reported (perceived) competencies. Conclusion Under routine school conditions, EPE was associated with small improvements in students' CCPE as measured by self-report. Given the quasi-experimental design, findings should be interpreted as associations, and residual confounding cannot be ruled out even with baseline equivalence. Future studies should incorporate longer follow-up and objective or observational outcomes.