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Moderators of youth exercise intention and behavior
Rebecca Ellis1, Maria Kosma, Danielle Symons Downs
1Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA. rellis@gsu.edu
Summary
Geographical region significantly impacts adolescent exercise behavior predictors. Gender also moderates these relationships in Louisiana youth, highlighting regional differences in the theory of planned behavior (TPB).
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Adolescent Health
- Psychology
Background:
- The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a prominent framework for understanding health behaviors.
- Understanding moderators of TPB is crucial for developing effective, targeted health interventions.
- Adolescent exercise behavior is influenced by a complex interplay of psychological and social factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate geographical region, gender, race, and income as moderators of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) for adolescent exercise.
- To examine how these demographic factors influence the relationships between TPB constructs (intention, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control) and exercise behavior.
Main Methods:
- Multigroup path analyses were conducted on data from 1,129 adolescents (8th and 9th graders) from Louisiana (N=448) and Pennsylvania (N=681).
- Participants completed validated measures assessing intention, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and exercise behavior.
- Moderation analyses were performed, with demographic variables tested individually and within specific geographical contexts.
Main Results:
- Geographical region significantly moderated the TPB relationships (p < .001).
- Gender emerged as a significant moderator in Louisiana (p < .001) but not in Pennsylvania (p = .90).
- Race and income did not demonstrate significant moderating effects within either state.
Conclusions:
- Geographical region is a key moderator influencing the predictive power of TPB constructs on adolescent exercise.
- Gender-specific differences in TPB relationships are evident in certain regions, such as Louisiana.
- These findings underscore the need for context-specific approaches when applying TPB to promote adolescent physical activity.
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