Perceived social support has been identified as a critical factor impacting students’ physical activity (PA) levels. Our understanding about the effects of perceived social support for exercise from family and peers is based primarily from studies on children and adolescence. However, there is limited knowledge on this topic involving university students. The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between university students’ self-perceived social support for exercise and their PA levels. A secondary purpose was to analyze social support for exercise by gender, ethnicity, and major.
Method:
A pre-validated social influence scale was used to collect perceived social support data for exercise during the past 3 months. The instrument consists of 12-items that assess the frequency of family and peer support for exercise on a 5-point scale. Social support was measured using family support, peer support, and total social support (i.e., the sum of family and peer support). PA data involving vigorous [VPA], moderate [MPA], and light/mild exercise [LPA] were collected using a pre-validated weekly leisure-time exercise questionnaire. The PA variables were coded in MET values. Four PA variables were analyzed: VPA (i.e., the frequency of VPA X 9), MPA (i.e., the frequency of MPA X 5), LPA (i.e., the frequency of LPA X 3), and total PA (TPA) [i.e., the sum of VPA, MPA, and LPA). Student major and ethnicity were also used as independent variables to analyze social support for exercise. There were 374 participants (52.9% males; 47.1% females) in the study.
Analysis/Results:
Pearson correlations were computed to examine the relationship between social support for exercise and PA. MANOVA was used to test social support differences by gender, ethnicity, and major. It was found that total social support was positively correlated with VPA, MPA, and TPA. Furthermore, VPA was significantly correlated with peer support more than family support. MANOVA test found a significant main effect. Post hoc test indicated the difference was caused by gender as females had significantly higher social support than their male counterparts. No ethnicity, major, two-way and three-way interactions among gender, ethnicity, and major differences were found, however.
Conclusions:
Social support was positively correlated with university student VPA, MPA, and TPA, but not LPA. Friend support was more strongly correlated with VPA than family support. Female students had higher perceived social support than males.