Mrs. FRANCESCA LATINO Pegaso University, Italy
Francesca Latino is a scholar in education and sports psychology at Pegaso University, Naples, Italy. With a background in movement sciences and wellness, she focuses on integrating physical activity into educational settings to enhance youth well-being. Her award-winning research spans classroom-based interventions and stress-related physiology. Notably, her study on “Classroom-Based Physical Activity as a Means to Improve Self‑Efficacy and Academic Achievement among Normal‑Weight and Overweight Youth” (Nutrients, 2023) has garnered high citations, earning her the Most Cited Article Award. She also led the recent MDPI-published work “Understanding the Psycho‑Physiological Impact of Bullying on Adolescents…” in Education Sciences (2025), showcasing her interest in physical education as a tool for stress reduction and psychological resilience
Publication Profile
orcid
🎓 Education
Ms. Latino studied human sciences and sports education in Italy, culminating in advanced qualifications from Pegaso University, Naples. Her dissertation emphasized the relationship between physical activity, body composition, cognitive development, and academic performance. She further refined her methods through collaborations with the Heracle Lab at Niccolò Cusano University and the Department of Movement Sciences and Wellness at the University of Naples “Parthenope,” where she explored interventions integrating nutrition, motor skills, and classroom learning This interdisciplinary training equipped her to design evidence-based, school-centered programs promoting mental health, self-efficacy, and stress regulation among adolescents.
💼 Experience
Francesca Latino has led and participated in multiple empirical studies within Italian schools, focusing on physical activity’s role in enhancing school performance and mental health. As principal investigator, she organized a 12-week classroom-based physical activity program targeting both normal-weight and overweight adolescents, integrating exercise during science lessons to enhance self-efficacy, concentration, and reduce anxiety She also coordinated the BOND (Building Opportunities through Networked Dynamics) program— a randomized controlled trial assessing group-focused PE to counter bullying and improve students’ psycho-physiological resilience via HRV monitoring. Additionally, her role in systematic reviews, including “Physical Activity and Academic Performance in School-Age Children” (Sustainability, 2023), underlines her expertise in synthesizing and advancing evidence-based educational practices
🏆 Honors and Awards
Francesca Latino has been honored with the Most Cited Article Award for her 2023 Nutrients publication, recognizing its significant impact in linking physical activity with academic and psychological outcomes in youth. Her leadership on the BOND program earned her recognition for innovation in using physical education to address bullying and student well-being. Additionally, her scholarship has consistently been featured in high-impact MDPI journals, reflecting scholarly esteem and contributing to her reputation as a leading researcher in physical education interventions. These accolades highlight her commitment to pioneering integrative programs that promote both physical and mental health in school environments.
🔬 Research Focus
Francesca Latino’s research focuses on the nexus of physical activity, psychological well-being, and academic outcomes in adolescents. She is particularly interested in classroom-based interventions, blending movement breaks with academic content to improve self-efficacy, concentration, and reduce anxiety and BMI. She also explores structured physical education—such as the BOND program—to mitigate bullying and enhance heart rate variability, helping students manage stress through cooperative group tasks Her systematic reviews dissect how diverse physical activity settings (PE classes, active breaks, extracurriculars) contribute to cognitive development, executive functioning, and academic resilience Her work integrates physiological metrics (e.g., HRV), educational psychology, and body composition to design scalable, evidence-based interventions that promote holistic youth development.
📚 Publications
-
🧠 Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning (Medicina, 2024)
-
🤝 Paths of Encounter and Cooperation between Clinical Pedagogy and Corporeality: Reflections and Experiences (Italian Journal of Health Education, Sport and Inclusive Didactics, 2023)
-
➗ Cognitive Functioning and Classroom‑Based Physical Activity (Italian Journal of Health Education, Sport and Inclusive Didactics, 2023)
-
🏫 Structuring of Educational Paths and Aid Interventions: Clinical Pedagogy in the School Context (Italian Journal of Health Education, Sport and Inclusive Didactics, 2023) 🍏 Physical Education Teacher’s Continuing Professional Development Affects the Physiological and Cognitive Well‑Being of School‑Age Children (Education Sciences, 2024)
-
📚 Physical Activity and Academic Performance in School‑Age Children: A Systematic Review (Sustainability, 2023)🏃 The Role of Physical Literacy in the Development of Motor Competences and Cognitive Functions among School‑Age Children (Italian Journal of Health Education, Sport and Inclusive Didactics, 2024)
-
🧑🏫 Rethinking Teachers’ Lifelong Learning: From Life Skills to Competences for Didactics (Italian Journal of Health Education, Sport and Inclusive Didactics, 2023)
-
🌍 Teaching/Learning Processes and Inclusion: Psycho‑Pedagogical Perspectives (Italian Journal of Health Education, Sport and Inclusive Didactics, 2023) 🌲 Outdoor Physical Activity with Cognitively Engaging Tasks May Affect Students’ Creative Thinking: A Pilot Study… (Formazione & Insegnamento, 2022)
-
🔬 The Role of Physical Activity in the Physiological Activation of the Scholastic Pre‑Requirements (AIMS Neuroscience, 2024)