Background: Training the emotional domain through physical activities and movement is considered a novel approach. Physical education offers numerous opportunities for students to engage with educational goals, making it one of the most effective methods or teaching tools for developing emotional awareness. This study investigates the realization of the affective (emotional) domain objectives in physical education among male high school students.
Methods: The research was conducted using a field-based, descriptive method. The measurement tool employed was an attitude scale developed by the researcher specifically for physical education, with confirmed validity and reliability. The statistical population consisted of male high school students in Yazd, with a sample of 380 participants.
Results: The study's findings indicated that the mean and standard deviation of the participants' responses to the physical education attitude scale reflect their levels of interest and attention toward the physical education course. According to the results, questions 8 (failure to observe general safety principles) and 15 (failure to comply with rules and regulations) had the lowest mean scores (3 and 3.1), highlighting challenges in these areas. In contrast, question 16 (respect for elders) received the highest mean score (4.6), demonstrating its significance and importance to students. Moreover, the results of the chi-square analysis showed that the observed number of participants in the high and low groups compared to the expected number (161) was significantly different (χ² (1, 381) = 272.9, P < 0.001), with an effect size of 0.72. These results indicate that the emotional (attitudinal) development goal of physical education has been effectively achieved among the students fostering a positive attitude toward physical education.
Conclusion: Consequently, it is recommended that educators continue to prioritize the emotional aspects of physical education and implement necessary measures to further support this objective.