Evaluating adult interaction during the Step It UP! game to increase physical activity in children. Issue 3 (28th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nieto, Paola; Wiskow, Katie M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied behavior analysis. Volume 53:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 1354
• Page End: 1366
• Publication Date: 2020-03-28
• Subjects: good behavior game -- pedometers -- physical activity -- recess -- Step it UP! game; Psychology, Applied -- Periodicals; Social Behavior -- Periodicals; 150
• DOI: 10.1002/jaba.699
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8855

Abstract

Abstract : A recent intervention, the Step it UP! game (Galbraith & Normand, 2017), consists of an interdependent group contingency to increase student physical activity. In addition, previous research demonstrated that adult interaction may reinforce physical activity (Larson et al., 2014). We extended research on the Step it UP! game by comparing the effects of no game, Step it UP! game, and Step it UP! game plus adult interaction on the number of steps taken by participants in a third‐grade classroom during recess. Overall, 19 of the 25 participants took more steps during the Step it UP! game plus adult interaction compared to the Step it UP! game and no‐game recesses. Furthermore, 20 participants preferred the Step it UP! game plus adult interaction. Results suggest that adult interaction can enhance the effects of the Step it UP! game to increase physical activity.