PMID 38684991

Research
All papers

Was it a HIIT? A process evaluation of a school-based high-intensity interval training intervention

Duncombe SL, Barker AR, Price L, Walker JL, Koep JL, Woodforde J, Stylianou M

Question

How well was the Making a HIIT school intervention implemented, including reach, dose, fidelity, responsiveness, quality, differentiation, and adaptation?

Summary

This process evaluation of an 8-week school HIIT program found moderate delivery and attendance: students attended about six workouts on average, and only about half of monitored workouts averaged above 80% HRmax. Teachers found the workouts simple and adaptable, but time, space, uniform, weather, and class management shaped implementation.

Methodology

  • Year 7/8 students from three Greater Brisbane schools.
  • 308 participants.
  • Teacher-led school HIIT.
  • Intensity: Target/fidelity assessed as >=80% HRmax; average 79 +/- 8% HRmax.
  • 10 minutes; occasionally 5 minutes.
  • At the beginning of HPE lessons.
  • 8 weeks.
  • Mixed-methods process evaluation of a quasi-experimental school intervention
  • Dosage, Fidelity, and Enjoyment and affect were tracked.

Outcomes

Dosage

Average attendance was moderate and full attendance was uncommon.

10 +/- 3 workouts delivered; 6 +/- 2 attended; 26 students (12%) attended all.

Mixed

Fidelity

Workouts often reached vigorous intensity, but only about half of students averaged above 80% HRmax.

Average HR 79 +/- 8% HRmax; median 55% time >=80% HRmax; 51% students average HR >80% HRmax.

Mixed

Enjoyment

Enjoyment was neutral on average, with low negative affect.

Enjoyment 3.3 +/- 1.1 on 5-point scale; negative affect median 1.5.

Mixed

Insights

  • Use low-setup, adaptable workouts for school/youth HIIT.
  • Measure actual intensity when fidelity matters; delivered HIIT may not be intense for every student.

Limitations

  • Process evaluation, not effectiveness trial.
  • Only three schools.
  • No student qualitative interviews.
  • Researcher involvement could bias interviews.

Safety

  • No adverse events were reported in the reviewed text.
  • Students with medical conditions or injuries preventing HIIT were excluded, and teachers modified workouts for complexity, space, weather, uniform, equipment setup, and classroom management.