Psychosocial Determinants of Physical Activity in Children Attending Afterschool Programs. Issue 3 (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ling, Jiying; Robbins, Lorraine B.; McCarthy, Valerie Lander; Speck, Barbara J.
• Is Part Of: Nursing research. Volume 64:Issue 3(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: Nursing -- Research -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Periodicals; Soins infirmiers -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Soins infirmiers -- Périodiques; Verpleegkunde; Nursing; Nursing -- Research; Periodicals; 610.73
• DOI: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000084
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0029-6562

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Background</title> <p>Physical activity (PA) is important for controlling childhood obesity, but a comprehensive PA model for school-aged children is lacking.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Objectives</title> <p>Guided by the youth PA promotion (YPAP) model, this study estimated the direct and indirect effects of self-efficacy, enjoyment, parental influence, and environment on self-reported PA and pedometer steps. A secondary purpose was to explore the association between self-reported PA and pedometer steps.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Methods</title> <p>An observational and prospective study was conducted among 133 children, aged 8–11 years old, from 10 elementary schools with afterschool programs in a Midwestern U.S. school district from August through October 2013. PA was assessed by a 7-day recall scale and pedometers. Other variables were assessed by validated questionnaires.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Results</title> <p>Approximately 65 (49%) children were overweight or obese—only 17 (13%) met national PA recommendations—and body mass index <italic>z</italic>-score was negatively correlated with pedometer steps (<italic>r</italic> = −.18 <italic>p</italic> = .04). A path analysis showed that self-efficacy had a direct effect on self-reported PA and pedometer steps, enjoyment had only a direct effect on self-reported PA, and parental influence had a direct effect on pedometer steps and an indirect effect on self-reported PA through self-efficacy and enjoyment. The association between self-reported PA and pedometer steps was not significant.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Discussion</title> <p>Because this study only partially supports the YPAP model, studies with a larger sample size and longitudinal design are essential to further examine this model. The nonsignificant relationship of self-reported PA with pedometer steps may be due to the systematic error resulting from a common method artifact of self-report. Given the importance of parental influence, enjoyment, and self-efficacy, targeting these three determinants in future interventions to increase PA among children is recommended.</p> </sec> </abstract>