GENDER PICULIARITIES AND DISTINCTIONS IN PHYSICAL CONDITION ’ s SELF DESCRIPTION OF DIFFERENT AGE CATEGORIES GIRLS AND BOYS

Purpose: to study gender peculiarities and distinctions in physical condition’s self-description of schoolchildren. Material: in the research schoolchildren of 5-11 form (boys – n=177, girls – n=188) participated. Testquestionnaire “Self description of physical condition” was used. Results: it was found that correlations of indicators of all age categories have gender distinctions. It was determined that boys associate heir health with own selfassessment and physical qualities: coordination of movements, flexibility. Girls connect their health with physical functioning and own physical abilities. Boys connect physical coordination of movements with strength. Girls connect it with appearance. Besides, it was found that boys connect their self-assessment directly with their strength and physical activity. For girls these indicators are not very important. Conclusions: approaches to solution of gender stereotypes and imbalance in adolescents’ physical development are recommended. It is purposeful to work out conception of gender approach to physical education. It would permit: to facilitate development of individual bents and talents of pupils of different sex; to overcome sex-role stereotypes; more effective formation of physical culture values.

Introduction 1  In sphere of education elimination of gender difference on all its levels has been becoming more and more important.Achievement of gender equality in education envisages application of special technologies, which would consider specificity of male and female psychology and ensure balanced gender component in education.
As on to day one of priority direction of state policy in development of comprehensive school is: orientation on education of pupils of different sex; consideration of age and sex features in formation of physical culture and healthy life style values.Physical culture lessons play important role in solution of urgent problems of gender approach in physical education.Such orientation of lessons facilitates increase of quality, effectiveness and accessibility of physical culture education.It permits to consider larger extent bents, talent and interests of pupils of different sex.All these require changes in content of program material, in organization of teaching-educational process; differentiation and individualization of means and methods of training [8].
At the beginning of 20 th century in domestic pedagogic and psychology serious attention was paid to problem of sex education.In scientific works of that time original ideas about pedagogic, psychology and hygiene of pupils' sex development were substantiated and these ideas are still important now [6].Recent years there have appeared the quantity of scientific researches, devoted to gender education and gender pedagogic [1,2,9,25,26,34].The authors came to the following conclusions:  To help young peopleо in formation of adequate self-assessment and own positive image is especially important.It is connected with belief in own strength and potentials.Just they are key element in achievement of success in everyday life [41];  Type of self-assessment, of future principle of health teachers' professionally important qualities formation influence on responsible attitude to own professional functioning, on future relations with children [40];  Duration of training experience has statistically significant positive correlation with level of sportswomen's self-assessment [32];  Trainings shall have different targets: formation of experience of positive attitude towards themselves; cultivation of active life position habits; consolidation of high self-assessment [35].
The task of education in respect to gender problems was determined in works by T. Govorun [6], О. Kikinedzhy [11], L. Tatarintseva [20].Conceptual-category apparatus of gender education was presented in researches of V. Kravets [11], А. Mudryk [18], L. Shtyliova [25], S. Vykhor [5], А. Shevchenko [24].In works by O. Babeshko [1], G. Bezverkhnia [2], A. Moskaliova [17] and other scientists, social and cultural factors of formation of children's and adolescents' interest to physical culture are regarded.It is known that children's physical development requires systemic approach.Gender approach shall be its component.O. Fashuk elucidated importance of this problem at modern stage.The author stresses significance 0of gender approach's implementation in physical education of schoolchildren.Such approach shall be understood as expansion of vital space for development of individual bents and talents of every child.It can help to form certain strategy of schoolchildren's involvement in systemic practicing of physical culture, cultivation of their positive attitude to motor functioning [21].
Researches of foreign scientists were oriented on solution of problem of self-assessment in different spheres of educational space.They analyzed influence of 12 weeks' program of control over weight, developed for application in establishments of primary medical assistance.The authors found dependence of self-respect and symptoms of depression on state of expectation [28].Testing of children and adolescents with excessive weight showed their lower social competence and low self-assessment.The authors recommend planning of measures, oriented on strengthening and rising of self-assessment [38].In other research connection between self-assessment and body condition was confirmed [42].Influence of self-assessment and assessment of peers in school for problem children was studied.The authors offer program for rising of self-assessment, which helps to recognize the name of participant and increases sympathy of peers [39].They studied links between global self-assessment, perception of sports competence and level of motor functioning in primary school children [37].Interconnection of personal gender identity and gender problems in group of children studied.The authors noted that children with high self-assessment and strong own gender identity are more successful in different aspects of learning [27].Also interconnection of self-assessment of immobile way of life of schoolchildren was researched.Dependence between psychic health and self-assessment was found [30].Besides, dependence between content with own body and self-respect in adolescent and in adult age was studied.Results of factorial analysis showed that correlation between content with own body and self-esteem does not weaken with age [45].
Analysis of this problem's researches points at contradictions between social significance of gender approach and absence of scientifically grounded conditions for its realization in comprehensive educational establishments.At the same time there are no holistic scientific researches on the mentioned topic.All these require scientific researches.Earlier we studied gender peculiarities of schoolchildren's value orientations in sphere of physical culture and sports.We determined interconnection between motivation sphere and psychological sex of adolescents [12][13][14][15][16]33].At present stage we study specific features of self description of schoolchildren's physical condition as well as interconnection of physical "self" indicators and general self-assessment.
Psychologists understand self-assessment as individual's attitude to him (her) self, which is manifested as approval or disapproval of oneself as personality [5,8].M.J. Variy determined self-assessment of personality as "… awareness of own identity independent on external impacts.It is formed in process of one's self cognition" [4].Human self-assessment if formed under influence of different factors.Independent on the basis of judgment, in selfassessment it is always of subjective character [4].Adolescent age is regarded by scientists as psychological and demographic group with its own laws and specific norms of behavior.D. Wexler stresses dependence of positive selfassessment of adolescent and his (her) perception by peers on his (her) physical attractiveness [44].It is one of the most important components of adolescents' relations.Level of physical "self" adequacy influences on orientation of self-concept, attitude of personality to him (her) self [15].

Purpose, tasks of the work, material and methods
The purpose of the work is to study gender features and distinctions in self-description of physical condition of different age schoolchildren.
The tasks of the research: to determine peculiarities of physical conditions' self perception by schoolchildren; to study age and sex specific features of boys' and girls' attitude to own physical "self"; to find out influence of physical "self" indicators on general schoolchildren's self-assessment.In experiment test-questionnaire by Ye.V. Bochenkova "Self-description of physical condition" was used.This test is a modified variant of well known methodic of A.M. Prykhozhan [19].The questionnaire contains 70 judgments from sphere of human physical development.It determines 10 indicators of physical condition and indicator of general self-assessment: health, motor coordination; physical functioning; structure of body; sports abilities; physical "self"; appearance; strength; flexibility; endurance; self-assessment.
In the research pupil of 5-11 form (n=365) participated.Among them there were: 177 boys and 188 girls.38 pupils practiced certain kind of sports (swimming, basketball, volleyball, athletic gymnastic, wrestling, Thae-quan do).Other pupils attended usual physical culture lessons without additional practicing sports.Assessment of results was fulfilled by correlating the received data with generally accepted standards of self-assessment of personality.

Results of the research
As per results of factorial analysis we marked out two factors.First factor included 7 components, which characterized sports orientation of respondents.They were: sports abilities, endurance, physical functioning, motor coordination, strength, flexibility, health.The second factor included 4 components, which characterized appearance of respondents.They were: appearance, global physical "self", self-assessment and slenderness.
For classification of observations over schoolchildren we conducted cluster analysis of both factors.It resulted in receiving of 4 clusters, which included influences of every component.
First cluster included respondents, who had weakened self-assessment of appearance and who assessed own physical potentials objectively.Such pupils put desire to practice sports and improve sports abilities higher than appearance.This cluster included 48 pupils (21 boys and 27 girls).It was 13.1% from general quantity of respondents.
Second cluster included respondents with increased assessment of their physical abilities and too high opinion of appearance.For such pupils sports achievements and appearance are of equal importance.They were 182 persons (115 boys and 67 girls).It was 49.8% from total quantity of pupils.
Third cluster included respondents with weakened opinion of their physical abilities and low opinion of their appearance, Own appearance is of greater importance for them than sport achievements and abilities (n=81).They were 31 boys and 50 girls.It was 21.1% from total quantity of pupils.
Fourth cluster included indifferent pupils, who had no desire to practice sports and pay attention to their appearance.They were 10 boys and 44 girls.It was 14.7% from total quantity of pupils.
From total quantity of pupils (n=365) there were actually 50% boys and girls, for whom it was equally important: to practice sports; to improve themselves physically and pay attention to their appearance.Most of them were boys.They were balanced in their priorities.Among such pupils (n=115) there were: 33 boys of junior school age; 51 boys (of 14-15 years' age); 31 boys of senior school age (16-17 years old).In total it was 65% boys and 35% girls (from total quantity of pupils).To receive more detail information we conducted correlation analysis between indicators of respondents' physical condition self-description.Analysis of correlations was conducted separately, by results of testing of different age categories' pupils.Indicator "health" of boys correlates with indicators "motor coordination" (r=0.299) and "endurance" (r=0.411).In girls, indicator "health" is influenced by: "motor coordination" (r=0.476),"flexibility" (r=0.308) and "selfassessment" (r=0.411)."Motor coordination" of boys correlates with "strength" ( r =0.518).In girls "motor coordination" correlates with "appearance" (r=0.570).In boys such correlation is absent.In boys "physical functioning" correlates with "global physical "self" (r=0.431),"strength" (r=0.454),"self-assessment" (r=0.600).In girls correlations between such indicators are absent.But correlations between other indicators were found: "slenderness" and "physical abilities" (r=0.284);"slenderness" and "appearance" (r=0.412);"physical abilities" and "appearance" (r=0.291).In boys there are no correlations between these indicators.In boys there is strong correlation between "global physical "self" and "strength" (r=0.729) and "global physical "self" and "flexibility" (r =0,695).In girls such correlation is absent.Boys connect their appearance directly with endurance (r =0.334).Boys connect strength with self-assessment (r=0.670).For girls such connections are insignificant.
Thus, we determined certain difference in correlations of 10-12 age boys' and girls' self-description indicators.Boys connect motor coordination with strength, while girls -exclusively with their appearance.In this case we can assume influence of gender stereotypes on self-description of physical condition.Besides, we found that boys connect their self-assessment directly with their strength and physical functioning.For girls these indicators are insignificant."Global physical "self" strongly influences on boys' self-assessment (r=0.761), while on girls' selfassessment the same influence is rendered by "appearance" (r=0.714) and "motor coordination" (r=0.753).We found that general self assessment of junior school age boys is influenced by greater quantity of indicators than on girls'.
13-15 years' age pupils' distinctions in correlations between self-description indicators are given in tables 3 and 4. In boys indicator "health" correlates with all other indicators (except "slenderness").In girls indicator "health" correlates with all other indicators (except "flexibility").In boys "physical functioning" also correlates with all indicators (except "slenderness").In girls "physical functioning" also correlates with all indicators (except "appearance").
Comparison of senior school age boys' and girls' results showed significant distinctions in correlations of indicators.Boys have strong connection between "global physical self" and "appearance" (r=0.838).In girls such correlation is very low (r=0.289).But they have high correlation between "global physical "self" and "selfassessment" (r=0.714).Boys connect their health with own self-assessment and following physical qualities: motor coordination and flexibility.Girls connect their health with physical functioning and own physical abilities.Also attracts attention the fact that general level of girls' self description is influenced by "motor coordination" (r=0.783).In boys this indicators is much lower (r=0.647).Boys' indicator "appearance" has rather high correlation coefficient with general level of self-description (r=0.486).This indicator exceeds significantly girls' indicators.
Results of researches showed substantial gender distinctions between correlations of self description of respondents, who practice and who do not practice sports.Middle school age girls-sportswomen's general selfassessment level is influenced by "endurance" (r=0.976),"self-assessment" (r=0.917) and "appearance" (r=0.963).In girls, who do not practice sports, general level of self-assessment is influenced by indicator "health" (r=0.648).In sportswomen there is no such correlation.Self assessment of senior school age sportswomen is influenced mostly by four indicators: "appearance" (r=0.890),"endurance" (r=0.883),"global physical "self" (r=0.801) and strength" (r=0.740).Self-assessment of girls, who do not practice sports, is substantially influenced only by "global physical "self" (r=0.793).
If to compare in gender aspect senior pupils, in boys, who do not practice sports we can see strong correlation between physical abilities and appearance (r=0.792).In girls this indicator is rather low (r=0.378).In senior school age girls, who do not practice sports, there is strong correlation between "health" and "endurance" (r=0.831).In boys this correlation is weak (r=0.368).In girls-sportswomen there is correlation between indicators "slenderness" and "global physical "self" (r=0.899).In boys this correlation is weak (r=0.668).Besides, "slenderness" and "appearance" correlate with each other (r=0.883)as well as "self assessment" (r=0.916).In boys these indicators are lower (r=0.548)and (r=0.237).

Discussion
Analysis of results of the research shows that there are gender distinctions in boys' and girls' self assessment of their physical "self".In researches of foreign specialists [29,31,36] also substantial difference between self assessments of pupils' motor fitness was determined.Boys more emotionally (than girls) endure their defeats in individual and team sports competitions.Researchers point at the fact that girls have reduced opinion of their own physical potentials.In boys, quite opposite tendency is observed.In our researches we did not confirm the facts of girls reduced self-assessment.It also has rather high level.Especially it concerns girls-sportswomen.We found certain difference between correlations of boys' and girls' self description.
In researches by V.V. Tsybulska influence of motivation for professionally-applied physical training of pedagogic HEEs students is shown.The author determined physical condition's self assessment level of full time and extra-curriculum girl students.2 nd year girl students assess motor coordination lower than all other indicators of self description.Girls' "slenderness" directly influences on general self-assessment.This fact coincides with results of our researches [23,43].In researches by Ye.V. Bochenkova questionnaire "Self-description of physical condition" was used.The author found that boys' self assessment was to unrealistically too high.They assessed themselves higher than girls [3].The author admits that such data do not coincide with reality.Girls assessed their appearance higher than boys.Ilyin Ye.P. notes that question of sex distinctions in boys and girls self assessment requires more specific consideration.The author thinks that it shall be studied in two aspects.First, how respondents regard own "self" image.Secondly, who of them assess him (her) self more adequately [9].We agree with this opinion.But the data of these authors probably depend on the used methodic, assessed qualities and age of respondents.
Goriachov V.V. analyzed psychological-pedagogic conditions of development of senior pupils' conscious attitude to health related physical culture functioning.The author considered gender factor of respondents.In his research it was determined that adequacy of schoolchildren's attitude to own health depends on individual's selfassessment, on knowledge about him (her) self, on adequate self description of physical "self".But in this research there were found no distinctions when determining conscious attitude to health related physical culture functioning [7].The mentioned research concerns only pupils' self assessment of own health.That is why we can only agree with conclusions of the author.But in this case comparison of results was not correct.Fedorenko Ye.O.studied motivation of senior pupils for specially organized motor functioning.The author studied level of senior pupils' self assessment [22].Her results witnessed about tendency to increasing of boys'and girls' self assessment.With it the highest self assessment was of boys.It coincides with results of our previous research.The conducted by us analysis of scientific works did not find holistic scientific researches, which would be devoted to self description of pupils physical condition with further factorial and correlation analysis of physical condition indicators.

Conclusions
The received results permit to affirm that there are significant gender distinctions in correlations between physical condition's self-description of different age categories' pupils.Boys connect self assessment with strength and physical functioning.Girls connect it with their appearance and motor coordination.It was found that general self-assessment of junior school age boys is influenced by larger quantity of indicators than on girls'.
Comparison of pupils' physical condition self description indicators (those who practice and who do not practice sports) showed certain distinctions.Such distinctions substantially distinguish attitude to own self of boys and girls, who practice sports from other (who do not practice sports).Analysis of our research's results witness about presence of gender stereotype problem and imbalance in physical education of adolescents.
We consider it to be purposeful to work out conception of gender approach in physical education.It would permit the following: facilitate development of individual bents and talents of different sex pupils; overcoming of sexrole stereotypes; more effective formation of physical culture values.
Our further researches will be devoted to comparison of results of physical condition's self description with physical culture control normative for boys and girls.The purpose of such research will be determination of gender distinctions in adequacy of physical condition self assessment of pupils.

Table 1 .
Correlations between indicators of physical condition's self-description of junior school age boys

Table 2 .
Correlations between indicators of physical condition's self-description of junior school age girls

Table 3 .
Correlations between indicators of physical condition's self-description of middle school age boys

Table 4 .
Correlations between indicators of physical condition's self-description of middle school age girls

Table 5 .
Correlations between indicators of physical condition's self-description of senior school age boys

Table 6 .
Correlations between indicators of physical condition's self-description of senior school age girls