1) The document discusses strategies for promoting physical activity in youth based on psychosocial factors linked to activity levels. 2) Key factors that influence physical activity include enjoyment, competence, autonomy, and social support from parents and friends. 3) Interventions should focus on developing youth's perceptions of competence through modeling, goals, and feedback, and perceptions of autonomy through choice and leadership opportunities. Developing social connections can be done through cooperative learning strategies.

1. 4/9/2010
Developing and keeping youth
motivated for physical activity: lessons
motivated for physical activity: lessons
learned and evidence from the field
Dr. Catherine Sabiston
Assistant Professor, Exercise Psychology
A i t tP f E i P h l
Director, Health Behaviour & Emotion Lab
McGill University
1

2. 4/9/2010
2
Objectives
• Identify and understand psychosocial factors
linked to youth physical activity
• Provide strategies to use psychosocial factors
for the promotion of physical activity
for the promotion of physical activity
2

3. 4/9/2010
3
Current Trends in Physical Activity (PA)
3

4. 4/9/2010
PA Guidelines for Children
• 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of
moderate‐intensity activity per week – CDC
• 90 minutes/day: a combination of moderate and
vigorous activity – H l h C d
i i i Health Canada
• 60 minutes/day – Janssen (2007), ACSM
• 16,500 steps per day – Health Canada
4

5. 4/9/2010
5
Factors Influencing PA Levels
Child Factors Parent Factors
Sex Education
Age Socioeconomic Status
Weight Status Neighbourhood
Environment/opportunities Weight Status
Autonomy/control – barriers? PA levels
Competence/self‐efficacy Attitudes and beliefs about PA
Motivation
Enjoyment
Social connections and support
Sallis et al., 2000; van der Horst et al., 2007
5

6. 4/9/2010
6
Factors Influencing PA Levels
Child Factors Strength of Evidence
Sex Strong
Age Moderate
Weight Status Inconclusive
Environment/opportunities Inconclusive
Autonomy/control – barriers? Moderate; inconclusive
Competence/self‐efficacy Strong
Motivation Strong
Enjoyment Strong
Social connections and support Low ‐ moderate
6

7. 4/9/2010
7
Exploring Links to Unorganized and Organized
Physical Activity during Adolescence: The Role of
Gender, Socioeconomic Status, Weight Status,
and Enjoyment of Physical Education
• Context of participation (organized and unorganized PA
opportunities) correlates during adolescence
opportunities) correlates during adolescence
• National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
(NLSCY, Cycle 3) data
• Youth aged 12‐13 and 14‐15 years
Garcia, Sabiston, Ahmed, & Farnoush, 2010
7

8. 4/9/2010
8
Findings: Garcia, Sabiston, et al.
• Girls participated less frequently in unorganized physical
activities (AORs = 0.57‐0.65, 95% CI = 0.46‐0.81)
• Middle and high SES categories participated more in
organized physical activity (AORs = 1.40‐1.87, CI = 1.06‐
2.47)
2 47)
• Obese adolescents were less active (esp. in unorganized
physical activity; AORs = 0.63‐0.66, CI = 0.43‐0.92)
• Enjoyment of physical education with organized and
unorganized physical activity (AORs = 1.58‐3.98, CI =
d h l (
1.22‐5.03).
8

9. 4/9/2010
9
Summary
• Enjoyment of PE (& fitness) classes
– Teachers (instructors)
– Class structure
• Limit comparisons target social support
Limit comparisons, target social support
• Focus on process not outcome
• Autonomy to choose and to lead
• Enjoyment of PA
– Parents, clinicians
• Focus on process not outcome
• Provide choices – never ‘prescribe’ but support!
9

10. 4/9/2010
10
Motivation in PE classes
• Purpose: To examine motivation for physical
activity and physical activity levels during a
structured lesson and free‐choice period in PE
• N=528 adolescents (13 15 years)
N=528 adolescents (13‐15 years)
• Tertiary split on motivation levels (low and
high groups compared)
Lonsdale, Sabiston, Readeke, Ha, Sum, 2009
10

11. 4/9/2010
11
Findings: Lonsdale, Sabiston, et al.
Enjoyment/intere
st
11

12. 4/9/2010
12
Summary
• Enjoyment/interest in physical activity is
critical to levels of PA
• Structured sport and PA opportunities =
higher levels of PA
higher levels of PA
What about competence
beliefs?
12

13. 4/9/2010
13
Examining a model of social support and PA
• Research Questions
R hQ i
– Do adolescents’ perceptions of their parents’ role
modeled behaviour and emotional support predict
their engagement in physical activity?
– Do adolescents’ perceptions of their best friend s role
Do adolescents perceptions of their best friend’s role
modeled behaviour and emotional support predict
their engagement in physical activity?
– Do perceptions of competence and enjoyment
mediate this relationship?
– Are there differences in the models for boys and girls?
Sabiston & Crocker, 2008
13

14. 4/9/2010
14
Findings: Sabiston & Crocker (2008)
Parent Competence
Physical
Activity
Girls
R2=.51
CFI=.94
IFI=.94
Best F i d
B t Friend Enjoyment
E j t NNFI=.93
SRMR=.05
RMSEA=.07
Boys
CFI=.94 Parent Competence
IFI=.94
Physical
NNFI=.93
Activity
SRMR=.05
SRMR 05
RMSEA=.07 R2=.51
Best Friend Enjoyment
14

15. 4/9/2010
15
Summary
• Similar findings to previous research with children
g p
(Brustad, 1993; Kimiecik et al., 1993; 1996; Trost et al.,
2003; Welk et al., 2003)
– Addition of best friend influences
• Adolescents’ perceptions of parent and best friend
influence predict competence and enjoyment/interest
beliefs
• Focus on parents and friends
– Instructions and feedback from friends, not parents
– Tangible resources from parents ($ rides equipment)
Tangible resources from parents ($, rides, equipment)
– Emotional support from parents and friends
– Role modeling
• Target perceptions of competence and enjoyment
15

16. 4/9/2010
16
Social Support, Self‐Efficacy and Physical Activity in
Youth at Risk for Obesity
• Are levels of social support from mothers and fathers
different?
• Are social support levels related to children’s MVPA?
• 560 ‘QUALITY’ youth (aged 8 to 10 years)
Brunet, Sabiston, Barnett, Mathieu, Tremblay, O’Loughlin, & Lambert, submitted
16

17. 4/9/2010
17
Findings: Brunet, Sabiston, et al.
Fathers were perceived to provide more support than mothers
[t (559) = 4.29, p < .001]
Mother
.38*
Competence .16* Physical
.28* Beliefs Activity
Father
-.11 to -.30*
Age
BMI
Sex
17

18. 4/9/2010
18
Summary
• Increasing perceptions of mother support
gp p pp
– 1) lower levels
– 2) more strongly linked to perceptions of competence
• Focus on women’s PA levels (role modeling)
• Mothers’ parenting styles (support)
Mothers parenting styles (support)
– Fathers are more playful, mothers are more organized
– Structure versus control
• Parents should participate in PA with their
children, watch them play, encourage PA, portray
hild t h th l PA t
positive beliefs
– Focus on understanding the family dynamic around PA
18

19. 4/9/2010
19
And…
• Other practical strategies focused on top
psychosocial factors linked to PA
– Perceptions of competence
– Autonomy
– Social connectedness The following strategies are
based on our interventions,
longitudinal and cross‐
sectional studies with
children, adolescents, and
adults across the lifespan
and key theories
19

20. 4/9/2010
20
How to develop perceptions of competence?
• P i
Previous experiences
i
– Imagery
– Challenging yet achievable goals
• Modeling
– Friends, role models
– Videos
• Verbal persuasion
– Feedback focused on process
• Physical and emotional factors
– Sweating, HR
– Anxiety, fear; enjoyment
Bandura, 1997; Eccles, 1983
20

21. 4/9/2010
21
…Increasing competence and enjoyment
Change/modify:
• Number of Participants
Reducing the number of children helps reduce the complexity of the
activity and increase the time on task.
• Space
Larger spaces increase self‐directed learning, provides more
Larger spaces increase self directed learning provides more
opportunity to more kids
• Rules
Reduce complexity, revise task to make it challenging yet attainable
• Equipment
Change size or # of balls, type of racket, etc.
Change size or # of balls type of racket etc
Particularly helpful at various
development stages
21

22. 4/9/2010
22
How to develop perceptions of autonomy?
• provide youth with PA choices
id h i h PA h i
– Clothing, activities, evaluation methods
• give opportunities for initiative‐taking
– Leadership and ownership
• use a democratic leadership style
use a democratic leadership style
– Set the climate
• give a rationale for your actions/recommendations
– Mutual understanding
• give constructive feedback
g f
• foster a task‐oriented environment
– Self‐improvement, no comparisons
– Not the outcome
Amorose et al.; Mageau & Vallerand, 2003
22

23. 4/9/2010
23
How to develop social support & connectedness?
If there is a group setting:
If h i i
• Just having youth participate together isn’t ‘enough’
• Cooperative learning?
– positive interdependence (everyone’s efforts benefit the group)
– face‐to‐face interaction (direct verbal interaction)
face to face interaction (direct verbal interaction)
– individual accountability (skills/work distributed equally)
– social skills training (collaborative skills, communication, etc.)
– opportunities for group evaluation (evaluation)
If individual setting:
• Perceived and received support (what they get versus what they
want)
• Types of support
Hymel et al, 1993; Johnson & Johnson, 1990; Reis et al. 2000
23

24. 4/9/2010
24
Bringing it all together
Competence
Motivation
Autonomy Physical Activity
(enjoyment)
Social Connection
Deci & Ryan, 1985
24

25. 4/9/2010
25
Motivation: Know The Child’s Motives!
Amotivation
A ti ti External
E t l Introjected
I t j t d Identified
Id tifi d Intrinsic
I ti i
Performing
Performing
Performing an activity Performing
Performing an activity to
an activity to because it is an activity
an activity avoid guilt
obtain a valued and because it is
for no and shame,
reward or important, enjoyable
reason; no or to protect
avoid a but still for and
motivation one’s
punishment external interesting
ego/identity
reasons
Deci & Ryan, 2002
25

26. 4/9/2010
26
Factors Influencing PA Levels
Child Factors Strength of Evidence
Sex Strong
Age Moderate
Weight Status Inconclusive
Environment/opportunities Inconclusive
Autonomy/control – barriers? Moderate; Inconclusive
Competence/self‐efficacy Strong
Motivation Strong
Enjoyment Strong
Social connections and support Low ‐ moderate
26

27. 4/9/2010
Developing and keeping youth
motivated for physical activity: lessons
motivated for physical activity: lessons
learned and evidence from the field
Dr. Catherine Sabiston
Assistant Professor, Exercise Psychology
A i t tP f E i P h l
Director, Health Behaviour & Emotion Lab
McGill University
27