Scheduled for Sociocultural Aspects of Physical Activity II Free Communications, Friday, April 4, 2003, 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM, Convention Center: 304


Recognition of Values-Based Constructs in a Summer Physical Activity Program

Doris L. Watson1, Maria Newton1 and Mi-Sook Kim2, (1)University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, (2)San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which participants in a summer sports camp embraced values-based constructs and examine the relationship between perceptions of values-based constructs and affect and attitude. Participants included 62 boys and 68 girls, ages 10 to 13 years. The ethnicities of the sample included Latino, Caucasian, African-American, Pacific Island, Asian American and Native American. All participants were enrolled in the National Youth Sports Program located in a mountain west state in an urban setting. Participants’ perceptions of the extent to which the program emphasized values-based constructs, participant enjoyment, interest in sport, future expectations to participate and respect for leadership were assessed. The Contextual Self-Responsibility Questionnaire (CSRQ) was developed for the present study to assess perceptions of values-based constructs and was derived through a series of steps based on Hellison’s, Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Model (1985, 1995). Enjoyment was assessed using a three-item, 5-point Likert scale questionnaire based on previous research (Duda & Nicholls, 1992). Sport Interest, Future Expectations and Leader Respect were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The validity of the participant’s responses on the CSRQ was assessed by conducting a principal components analysis with varimax rotation. Three factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 emerged from the analysis. The three factors, Care for Others/Goal Setting, Self Responsibility and Self Control/Respect, accounted for 50% of the variance and is consistent with similar EFA’s conducted in the literature (Papaioannou, 1994). Results indicate that participants did perceive their behavior to be in accord with values-based programming and the greater their perception of values-based constructs the greater their enjoyment, sport interest, likelihood to return, and respect for leadership. Traditional sport or extended day programming in underserved urban areas tend to mimic the professional sport model and thus focus heavily on winning. Youth programming that instead focuses on the participant and the context in which the process of life skills are fostered hold tremendous potential in addressing current trends in youth violence and their engaging in risky behavior. Given the paucity of research focusing on values-based physical activity settings, the results of this study contribute to the subsequent design and refinement of research methodology and measures in this area of study.

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