Scheduled for Pedagogy I Posters, Wednesday, April 10, 2002, 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM, San Diego Convention Center: Exhibit Hall


Middle School Children's Activity Levels, Physical Self-Perceptions, and Physical Self-Importance Differences

Arthur W. Miller, Montana/University Of, Missoula, MT

The problem was to determine how activity levels of Middle School children are related to their levels of physical self-perceptions and physical self-importance. Literature suggests that there is not a very strong relationship between physical fitness and self-worth (Janz, K. et al. 2000, Sternfield, B. et al. 1999, & Katzmarzyk, P. et al.1998). Recent studies suggest however, there may be a relationship between activity level of children and how they view themselves physically (Sallis, J. 2000, Luepker, R. et al. 1999, Corbin, C. 1997, Fox, K. 1997, & Brown, S. et al. 1992). This study was conducted to determine if differences existed between a child's activity level and a child's physical self-perception rating and a child's physical self-importance rating. The sample was 224 seventh and eighth grade Middle School students from a town in the Northwest. Subjects were asked to rate their activity level four random times during a prescribed three-month period. The Previous Day Activity Profile (PDAP), a valid instrument (Pate, R. 1997), was used to determine activity levels. Subjects were also asked to self-score physical self-perceptions in six prescribed categories: athletic competence, conditioning competence, attractive body adequacy, strength competence, physical self worth, and global self-worth. Subjects were also asked to self-score physical importance of the previously mentioned categories. A rating score was determined for each category of each variable. Results revealed that Middle School children differ in physical self-perceptions relative to their activity level. More active children tend to have higher physical self-perceived ratings and low active children tend to have lower physical self-perceived ratings. More active children also tend to rate the importance of physical qualities higher than lower active children, who tended to rate the importance lower. And finally, students who had higher physical self-perceptions tended to rate the importance of the physical qualities higher than students who had lower physical self-perceptions. Conclusions tend to reveal that the more active Middle School children are the higher their physical self-perceptions indicating that activity is a strong contributor to how kids view themselves physically. This is very positive since activity is a strong contributor to health related fitness. Active children also tend to value the importance of activity. This is valuable since more activity tends to increase importance and one would tend to think that increased importance would tend to increase frequency of activity.
Keyword(s): health promotion, middle school issues, physical activity

Back to the 2002 AAHPERD National Convention and Exposition