Background/Purpose To date, few studies have provided evidence on the relationships between children's physical education physical activity (PE-PA) levels and their exercise determinants and behaviors. This study examined the relationships between children's self-efficacy, family support, peer support, physical activity enjoyment, PE-PA levels, and daily physical activity participation.
Method A total of 286 middle school students (143 boys, M age = 12.44) participated in this study. Participants' PE-PA levels were then assessed by pedometers for three PE class times in the first week. Then they completed standardized questionnaires measuring their exercise self-efficacy, family support, peer support, physical activity enjoyment, and 1-week physical activity levels (Crocker et al., 1997) in the following week.
Analysis/Results Except PE-PA levels, children's self-efficacy, family support, friend support, and physical activity enjoyment were positively and significantly related to daily physical activity participation (r = .25 - .28, p < .01 for all). Regression analyses further revealed that children's self-efficacy (ß = .22, p < .01), perceived friend support (ß = .38, p < .01) and physical activity enjoyment (ß = .20, p <.01) were significant predictors of their daily physical activity participation. Additionally, only children's physical activity enjoyment significantly predicted PE-PA levels (ß = .29, p < .05).
Conclusions To promote daily physical activity participation, comprehensive school physical activity programs, including physical education, recess, in-class and after-school physical activity programs, should be considered to foster a favorable environment to enhance children's self-efficacy, stimulate friend support, and increase their physical activity enjoyment.
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