SynthesisBMC pediatrics2026
Effects of the SPARK program on motor skills, physical fitness, and social skills in children and adolescents: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe holistic health of children, encompassing physical, psychological, and social domains, plays a crucial role in long-term societal development. However, evidence suggests that many young people engage in insufficient physical activity, which may be associated with underdeveloped motor abilities and limited opportunities for social interaction. The SPARK program (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) is a structured, evidence-based physical education curriculum designed to promote physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and motor skill development. Despite its widespread use, comprehensive evaluations of its overall effectiveness remain limited.
objectiveThis review aimed to synthesize and evaluate existing empirical studies examining the effects of the SPARK program on children’s and adolescents’ physical fitness, motor development, and social skills.
methodsA systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost (CINAHL Plus, SPORTDiscus, Academic Search Complete), and Scopus up to June 5, 2025. Eligible studies included participants aged 3–18 years, implemented SPARK as the intervention, and met pre-established inclusion criteria. Methodological quality was appraised using the PEDro scale, risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 or ROBINS-I, and certainty of evidence was graded according to the GRADE approach.
resultsNineteen quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria, including randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs, and were primarily conducted in Iran and the United States. Overall methodological quality was moderate, with most studies exhibiting some or serious risk of bias related to non-random allocation and limited blinding. GRADE evaluations indicated moderate certainty of evidence for improvements in motor skills and low certainty of evidence for physical fitness and social adaptability. Positive trends were observed for cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and motor proficiency. Evidence related to BMI and flexibility outcomes was limited. Social skills were assessed in only two studies, both of which reported positive effects. Long-term evidence remains insufficient.
conclusionsThe available evidence suggests that the SPARK program is associated with improvements in motor skill outcomes, supported by moderate-certainty evidence. In contrast, evidence for physical fitness and social outcomes remains limited and less conclusive. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials with larger, more diverse samples and extended follow-up periods are needed to strengthen confidence in these findings and clarify the sustainability of observed effects.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.