Predictors of physical activity behavior change based on the current stage of change—an analysis of young people from Hawai’i

Abstract

This study investigated the corresponding change between psycho-social predictors and physical activity (PA) behavior and if these relationships were dependent on the stages of change from the Transtheoretical Model in Minority American adolescents. We conducted a longitudinal field study with N = 357 students aged 13–18 years (M = 14.24 years, SD = 0.88); predominantly Filipino (61.2%) using a test–retest design assessing psycho-social PA predictors (enjoyment, self-efficacy, family support, friends’ support, knowledge, stage of change) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at two time points over six months. Hierarchical regression results indicated that a positive change of enjoyment, knowledge about PA and family support predicted a change of MVPA, independently of stage. The time-varying covariation showed the importance of the current stage of change for enjoyment, self-efficacy and support of friends for a change of MVPA. Overall, our findings suggest that an individual’s current stage of change should be considered to determine individually appropriate starting points and goals for designing interventions to promote PA among Minority American adolescents.

Moderate-Vigorous Physical Activity, Family Support, Peer Support, and Screen Time: An Explanatory Model

“…Furthermore, 19.1% of students with high levels of parental support met the PA recommendations. Similarly, Engels et al [ 36 ] found a positive and significant correlation between MVPA time and family support. Haidar et al [ 35 ] also found a positive and significant relationship between parental support and moderate PA, as well as with vigorous PA.…”

Predictors of Physical Activity Behavior Transitions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review Based on a Transtheoretical Model

“…Studies by De Bourdeaudhuij et al [ 33 ] and Zamarripa et al [ 43 ] have shown that decisional balance is a medium-to-large factor of effect for behavioral change in PA in children and adolescents. Several studies [ 23 , 25 , 32 , 44 , 45 ] have shown that there are stage differences in self-efficacy, positive benefits, and negative barriers, with self-efficacy and positive benefits increasing from the precontemplation to maintenance stages and negative obstacles decreasing. Numerous studies [ 22 , 29 , 34 , 36 , 41 ] have found that there are stage differences in both self-efficacy and decisional balance and that self-efficacy and positive benefits are medium to large effects and negative obstacles are medium-to-small effects.…”

“…This will help construct a factor set to better understand the pathways associated with the intervention and expand the theoretical framework of TTM. Related studies have demonstrated medium-to-large effects of exercise attitudes [ 33 ], exercise interests [ 41 , 45 ], exercise motivation [ 25 , 38 , 44 , 46 ], perceptual physical environment support [ 25 , 41 ], perceptual social support [ 33 , 41 , 45 ], and physical self-concept [ 38 , 41 , 42 ] in the PA stage transition. Furthermore, Engels et al [ 45 ] show that there are no stage differences in exercise knowledge, a view that appears to be contrary to common sense and needs to be further tested.…”

“…Based on the concept of the stage of change, Hellsten et al [ 50 ] suggested that there is a stage difference in PA with an increasing trend and proposed the hypothesis of “precontemplation/contemplation < preparation < action/maintenance” stages of PA. Abarca-Sos et al [ 42 ] found that the physical activity index (PAI) was effective in distinguishing the stage of change and fully supported the hypothesis of the above study. However, some studies [ 33 , 43 ] showed no significant difference in PA between the preparation and action stages; some studies [ 38 , 45 ] also showed no significant difference in PA between the preparation and contemplation-forward (precontemplation and contemplation) stages. In addition, some studies [ 30 , 33 , 34 ] have shown that vigorous physical activity (VPA) has the highest differentiation, followed by moderate physical activity (MPA), with no stage differences in low-intensity physical activity (LPA).…”

Physical Activity, Energy Expenditure, Screen Time and Social Support in Spanish Adolescents—Towards an Explanatory Model about Health Risk Factors

“…The study by Wang et al [ 54 ] showed that higher levels of family support in Chinese adolescents were less likely to have insufficient PA. Engels et al [ 55 ] found a positive relationship between friends’ support and MVPA in Hawaiian adolescents. Furthermore, in the case of family support, the relationship was significant.…”