Compatibility and comfort assessment of school desks and chairs in three cities in China
10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025073
- VernacularTitle:中国三市学校课桌椅匹配与学生舒适度调查
- Author:
XU Tao, LUO Chunyan, LIU Zhonghui, WANG Yan, YANG Dongling, QU Shuangxiao, QI Wenjuan, HUANG Shenglei, ZHENG Keyang, ZHANG Fengyun
1
Author Information
1. Educational Technology Equipment Center of Shanghai Education Committee, Shanghai (200070) , China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Desk and chair;
Match;
Comfortable degree;
Students
- From:
Chinese Journal of School Health
2025;46(3):321-324
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To understand the subjective and objective comfort evaluations of students from different age groups on desks and chairs, so as to provide reference for standardized allocation and use of desks and chairs.
Methods:From January to April 2024, a total of 2 446 students were selected from 26 schools in 13 districts (counties/cities) in Shanghai, Tianjin, and Wuxi from Jiangsu Province by using cluster random method, including students in kindergartens, primary schools, junior high schools,senior high schools, colleges and universities. Standardized procedures were used to measure the height and weight of participants, and the matching desks and chairs models were selected according to the height. The subjective comfort of students on matching desks and chairs was investigated, and their objective comfort was evaluated by using a self designed questionnaire. The χ 2 test was used to analyze the differences of subjective perception and objective evaluation in comfort between different types of desks and chairs.
Results:About 84.1% of the students subjectively thought that large desks and small chairs were very comfortable or relatively comfortable, followed by large desks and chairs (75.7%), and the proportion of small desks and chairs was the lowest among the three types (46.2%), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ 2=722.46, P <0.01). The reporting rates of primary school, junior high school and senior high school students who subjectively considered large desks and chairs to be very comfortable/relatively comfortable were higher than that of other types of desks and chairs, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ 2=297.49, 252.82, 343.67, P <0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the subjective comfort evaluation of different types of desks and chairs among kindergarten children ( χ 2=3.21, P >0.05), and 66.3% of the students in colleges and universities felt very comfortable/relatively comfortable when they used the matching standard desks and chairs. The objective evaluation results of the comfort for the three types of desks and chairs were consistent with the subjective evaluation, but the proportions of the objective evaluation as very comfortable/relatively comfortable were higher than that of the subjective evaluation ( χ 2=20.76- 813.47, P <0.01).
Conclusions:Large desks and chairs, as well as large desks with small chairs are perceived comfortable, while small desks and chairs are perceived less comfortable. It is recommended to match the large desks and chairs or large desks and small chairs that are suitable for them according to the "standard", to promote physical and mental health of students.
