The purpose of this review was to describe the significance and the necessity of health−promoting intervention studies in college physical education (P.E.), and to motivate Japanese college physical educators about educational research. Firstly, the educational significance of health−promoting intervention studies in college P.E. was pointed out. College P.E. as an opportunity for health promotion and communicating with others is likely to contribute to both “academic adaptation” and “social integration” for freshmen. However, these educational effects have not been confirmed yet. Secondly, health promotional significance of intervention studies in college P.E. was pointed out. Prevalence of physical inactivity and increased enrollment in higher education today in Japan have strengthened the public−health role of college P.E. Thirdly, academic significance of health−promoting intervention studies in college P.E. was pointed out. Health−behavior intervention studies, especially for the enhancement of physical activity, are now in the first step, although there needs to be more research in this area. Thereafter, we described the following; research results about lifestyle and health status for college students, the relationship between health promotion and school P.E. in Japan, the history of college P.E. in Japan and its present trend, modifications of the U.S. school P.E., and the trend of health promotion by means of behavioral sciences. Finally, the following four aspects were described as future areas of health promotion research for college students; 1) to show the learning outcomes of college P.E. concretely, 2) to do intervention studies based on theory and evidence, 3) to design a study that is able to be evaluated scientifically, 4) to do intervention studies for college students' health promotion, especially in physical activity enhancement.

Interpersonal problems among students have become one of the critical issues in Japanese universities. The purposes of this study were 1）to develop a social skill scale for university physical education classes（SSUPEC）and 2）to investigate the effects of portfolio learning approach on students' social skill modification in a physical education program.

In our first study in April 2010, the sample of 447 Japanese university students（male=212, female=235, mean age=19.58, SD =1.35）were asked to answer a questionnaire composed of socio−demographic questions and 24 questions concerning social skills in physical education classes. Exploratory factor analysis, reliability analyses and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted, and the results identified a four−factor solution with sixteen items on SSUPEC with acceptable reliability and structural validity.

In our second study, the subjects were 383 university students enrolled in two separate regular classes from April and July 2010: Basketball（male=48, female=39, mean age=20.04, SD =1.30）and Sports and Health Care（male=130, female=166, mean age=19.46, SD =1.35）. Basketball, one of the PE courses, used portfolio learning approach while the lessons of Sports and Health Care were traditional lecture−style. The subjects of both classes were asked to answer a questionnaire composed of socio−demographic questions, SSUPEC that was developed in our first study, Effective Cognition Scale for University Physical Education Classes（ECSUPEC）and Stress Response Scale for University Physical Education Classes（SRSUPEC）during lesson in Apri（lpre−test）and July（post−test）．Two−way repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni's post hoc tests were conducted on SSUPEC, ECSUPEC and SRSUPEC.

The results of two−way repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni's post hoc tests revealed significant changes of the scores of the subjects in Basketball between the pre−test and post−test; the mean scores of the subscales “Diet Effect,” “Promotion for Interpersonal Relationship,” “Improvement of Feelings,” “Lifestyle Improvement” in ECSUPEC, and “Comprehension of Interpersonal Relationship,” “Attitude of Interpersonal Sympathy” and “Self−Assertion Ability” in SSUPEC decreased significantly while those of “Emotional Stress Response,” “Psychological Stress Response” and “Behavioral Stress Response” in SRSUPEC increased significantly.

The findings of the first study confirm that SSUPEC can be a beneficial tool in assessing the social skills of university students in the physical education classes. The findings of the second study, however, does not support our assumption that PE lessons with portfolio learning approach help students to improve their social skills, effective cognitions and stress responses. This might be due to limitation of data or to too many factors examined. Further research will be needed to explore the mechanism of influence of portfolio learning approach on an individual’s social skills, effective cognitions and stress responses.

PURPOSE: To determine whether physical activity and/or sedentary behavior reduces the risk for future onsets in poor mental health across a 6−month period among university students.

METHOD: Participants (N=559) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaires short version (Murase et al., 2002), the exercise self−efficacy (Oka, 2003), and the General Health Questionnaires 12 items (Honda et al., 2001) in the May of 2010 (baseline data) and October of 2010 (follow−up data).

RESULTS: Among 559 university students, 27.0% (male: 21.2%, female: 33.3%) of them had a poor mental health at baseline. Using logistic regression analyses that controlled for several covariates, we found that high levels of high−intensity physical activity significantly reduced the risk for future developments of poor mental health in males (OR [Odds Ratio]=0.487, 95% CI [confidence interval]：0.247−0.962). Also, high levels of exercise self−efficacy significantly reduced the risk for future developments of poor mental health in males (OR=0.510, 95% CI：0.261−0.996). However, there were not significant relationships between them in females. No predictive effects were for total physical activity and sedentary behavior time in both males and females.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that increasing high−intensity physical activity and/or exercise self−efficacy reduce the risk for future developments of poor mental health among university students.