Mediators of Physical Activity Behavior Change in the “Girls on the Move” Intervention
Background
The minimal effect of interventions to date on increasing young adolescent girls’ physical activity (PA) may be due to inadequate understanding of the mechanisms underlying behavior change, yet sparse research testing a PA intervention has examined the capacity of theories to explain PA, particularly when using objective measures.
Objectives
The aim of the study was to examine whether constructs from the health promotion model and self-determination theory mediated changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) following a 17-week intervention.
Methods
The study was a secondary analysis of data from a group randomized trial, including 12 intervention and 12 control schools in the Midwestern United States. Data were collected in 2012–2016. Girls (fifth- to eighth-grade, N = 1,519) completed surveys on perceived benefits and enjoyment of PA, PA self-efficacy, social support and motivation for PA, and barriers to PA and wore accelerometers.
Results
The final path model had a good fit: χ2(4) = 2.48, p = .648; goodness-of-fit index = 1; comparative fit index = 1; root-mean-square error of approximation = 0; standardized root-mean-square residual = 0.01. For MVPA change from baseline to postintervention, enjoyment (B = 24.48, p
Source: Nursing Research - Category: Nursing Tags: FEATURE ARTICLES Source Type: research