University of Kentucky

Perceptions of Peer and Parental Support: Assessing the Impact of a Physical Activity Intervention for Adolescent Girls

Grade Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

Major

Human Health Sciences

Minor

Health Advocacy

KY House District #

17

KY Senate District #

32

Department

Department of Health and Clinical Sciences

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Physical activity is known to have a wide range of health benefits. Children with high levels of peer and parental support are more likely to achieve adequate levels of physical activity (PA). The purposes of this pilot study were: 1) to examine the impact of an after-school intervention on perceived peer and parental support among adolescent girls and 2) to identify correlates of peer and parental support to explore in future studies. METHODS. Seventeen low-active girls in 6th – 8th grade were recruited from a local middle school to participate in an 8-week intervention where they were exposed to various types of PA and discussed PA topics with their peers and college-aged mentors. Thirteen participants (11.6 ± .6 years, 77% Black/African American or multiracial) completed the intervention and post-intervention surveys. Peer and parental support, days physically active per week, and physical literacy self-evaluation were measured by the Social Support for Exercise Scale, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and the Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth, respectively. RESULTS. Paired samples t-tests indicated that parental support increased from pre- to post-intervention (t=4.4, p<.001, d=1.2), whereas there was a small, non-statistically significant increase in peer support (t=1.5, p=0.15, d=0.4). Correlations for the variables at pre-intervention indicated that there were significant correlations between PA and physical literacy (r=0.67, p=0.01) and between peer and parental support (r=0.74, p=0.004), whereas at post-intervention there were significant correlations between peer and parental support (r=0.83, p<.001), and physical literacy with peer support (r=0.70, p=0.008) and parental support (r=0.69, p=0.009). CONCLUSION. These results suggest that a physical activity intervention may increase perceptions of parent support. Physical literacy may be a variable to target in future interventions. However, further research with a larger number of participants is necessary.

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Perceptions of Peer and Parental Support: Assessing the Impact of a Physical Activity Intervention for Adolescent Girls

INTRODUCTION. Physical activity is known to have a wide range of health benefits. Children with high levels of peer and parental support are more likely to achieve adequate levels of physical activity (PA). The purposes of this pilot study were: 1) to examine the impact of an after-school intervention on perceived peer and parental support among adolescent girls and 2) to identify correlates of peer and parental support to explore in future studies. METHODS. Seventeen low-active girls in 6th – 8th grade were recruited from a local middle school to participate in an 8-week intervention where they were exposed to various types of PA and discussed PA topics with their peers and college-aged mentors. Thirteen participants (11.6 ± .6 years, 77% Black/African American or multiracial) completed the intervention and post-intervention surveys. Peer and parental support, days physically active per week, and physical literacy self-evaluation were measured by the Social Support for Exercise Scale, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and the Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth, respectively. RESULTS. Paired samples t-tests indicated that parental support increased from pre- to post-intervention (t=4.4, p<.001, d=1.2), whereas there was a small, non-statistically significant increase in peer support (t=1.5, p=0.15, d=0.4). Correlations for the variables at pre-intervention indicated that there were significant correlations between PA and physical literacy (r=0.67, p=0.01) and between peer and parental support (r=0.74, p=0.004), whereas at post-intervention there were significant correlations between peer and parental support (r=0.83, p<.001), and physical literacy with peer support (r=0.70, p=0.008) and parental support (r=0.69, p=0.009). CONCLUSION. These results suggest that a physical activity intervention may increase perceptions of parent support. Physical literacy may be a variable to target in future interventions. However, further research with a larger number of participants is necessary.