Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a physical activity-based positive youth development program for girls in 3rd – 5th grade. The program is implemented over 12 weeks with a 24-lesson curriculum combining training for a 5K running event with activities designed to enhance girls’ social, psychological, and physical competencies to successfully navigate life experiences. However, little evidence documents the effectiveness of this program for developmental outcomes aligned with the curriculum. Through curriculum review and focus groups with coaches, parents, and past participants in GOTR-Puget Sound (PS) we identified emotional self-efficacy, perceived physical competence, and physical self-worth as relevant to the program curriculum to represent program outcomes. Autonomy support from coaches and running buddies, based in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), was also considered relevant as a potential mechanism to explain change in the three outcome variables. The purpose of this study was to test for change in the three psychological outcome variables and examine the relationship between perceived autonomy support and change in these outcomes across the program.
Method:
This study was conducted with GOTR-PS participants (N= 249) in the fall of 2014. Participants in GOTR-PS completed a survey assessing the three program outcomes at the second session of the fall season and the same survey with the addition of the autonomy support measure after completing the 5K run during the final session.
Analysis/Results:
MANOVA results demonstrated a significant multivariate effect across time, F (3, 197) = 7.07, p < .01, Wilk’s Λ = .903, partial η2 = .097. Univariate follow-ups showed a significant effect for physical self-worth, F(1, 199) = 20.22, p < .01, partial η2 = .092. Results for emotional self-efficacy and perceived physical competence were non-significant (p > .05). Participants’ perceived autonomy support at the end of the program was positively related to the gain in physical self-worth (r =.262, p < .01). However, there was no significant relationship between perceptions of autonomy support and gains in perceptions of physical competence or emotional self-efficacy.
Conclusions:
Findings support that positive changes in physical self-worth occur during participation in GOTR-PS. Perceived autonomy support is one potential mechanism explaining this change. Future research should also consider a comparison group to better document program effects. Overall results suggest that the quality of the program experience is important and should be intentionally incorporated in staff and leader training.
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