One Size Does Not Fit All: Contextualising Family Physical Activity Using a Write, Draw, Show and Tell Approach

Abstract

Understanding family physical activity (PA) behaviour is essential for designing effective family-based PA interventions. However, effective approaches to capture the perceptions and “lived experiences” of families are not yet well established. The aims of the study were to: (1) demonstrate how a “write, draw, show and tell” (WDST) methodological approach can be appropriate to family-based PA research, and (2) present two distinct family case studies to provide insights into the habitual PA behaviour and experiences of a nuclear and single-parent family. Six participants (including two “target” children aged 9–11 years, two mothers and two siblings aged 6–8 years) from two families were purposefully selected to take part in the study, based on their family structure. Participants completed a paper-based PA diary and wore an ActiGraph GT9X accelerometer on their left wrist for up to 10 weekdays and 16 weekend days. A range of WDST tasks were then undertaken by each family to offer contextual insight into their family-based PA. The selected families participated in different levels and modes of PA, and reported contrasting leisure opportunities and experiences. These novel findings encourage researchers to tailor family-based PA intervention programmes to the characteristics of the family.

Fitness, Fatness and Active School Commuting among Liverpool Schoolchildren

“…Rather than advocating for those that participate [deprived children] to actively commute more to improve their weight status, we suggest that the challenge remains to identify ways to reduce deprivation, and increase ASC prevalence among the nonparticipants, especially those that live in close proximity to school. A recent UK study [ 72 ] exploring the habitual PA behaviors of a nuclear and single parent family, found that the nuclear family used the family car for short commute distances including the home to school commute (1.1 km). Future studies should consider recruiting such passive commuters that reside close to home to understand their decision to not commuting actively.…”

An Examination of Parent-Reported Facilitators and Barriers to Organized Physical Activity Engagement for Youth With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Physical, and Medical Conditions

“…Interestingly, there is evidence to suggest that SES can also influence the type of support that parents provide to facilitate PA. Although this was not examined in the present study, previous research has found that higher SES families were more likely to enroll their children in a variety of OPA and co-participate in activities, whereas lower SES families were more likely to offer verbal encouragement and have children engaged in unstructured activities including outdoor play ( Brockman et al, 2009 ; Noonan et al, 2017 ). While cost is a barrier that affects families with and without a child with disability, the cost of participation may be particularly onerous for families caring for a child with a disability due to the additional costs associated with disability care (therapies, equipment, loss of earnings due to parental care commitments) ( Shields and Synnot, 2016 ).…”

“…To understand the low rates of participation, studies have examined facilitators and barriers to PA in children and young people with a disability ( Shields et al, 2012 ; Martin, 2013 ); however, there is little research focused explicitly on OPA. This is an important gap as there is evidence to suggest that different personal and environmental factors are associated with OPA participation compared to unorganized (or self-organized) PA ( Smith et al, 2010 ; Noonan et al, 2017 ; Wiium and Safvenbom, 2019 ). Furthermore, participation rates are lower for OPA than for unorganized PA in children with a disability ( Solish et al, 2010 ; Arim et al, 2012 ).…”

“It’s Just Not Something We Do at School”. Adolescent Boys’ Understanding, Perceptions, and Experiences of Muscular Fitness Activity

“…Semi-structured focus group interview guides were used to ensure consistency across each focus group interview. The semi-structured focus group interview guides were informed and structured around the multiple-methods write, draw, show, and tell framework [ 40 ] (see [ 33 , 46 , 47 ] and Table 1 for details). The multiple-methods approach was incorporated into the focus group interviews in order to further stimulate participants’ thinking and facilitate discussion around physical activity.…”