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Assessing Parent Perceptions of Physical Activity in Families of Toddlers With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: The
Kimberley D Lakes1, Maryam M Abdullah2, Julie Youssef2
11 University of California.
Insights
This study introduces the Parent Perceptions of Physical Activity Scale-Preschool (PPPAS) for assessing parental views on physical activity in young children. Findings show parent perceptions of PA barriers correlate with developmental delays and predict activity levels.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Exercise Science
- Developmental Psychology
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
Background:
- Parental perceptions significantly influence children's physical activity (PA) engagement.
- Understanding these perceptions is crucial for developing effective interventions in early childhood.
- Existing tools may not adequately capture parental views on PA for preschool-aged children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate the Parent Perceptions of Physical Activity Scale-Preschool (PPPAS).
- To examine parental perceptions of the benefits and barriers to PA in toddlers and preschoolers.
- To assess the psychometric properties of the PPPAS in a clinical population.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 143 children (mean age 31.65 months) and their parents from a neurodevelopmental clinic.
- Administered questionnaires and conducted child evaluations by a psychologist and physician.
- Analyzed data for reliability, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and predictive validity of the PPPAS.
Main Results:
- The PPPAS demonstrated a two-factor structure: Perceptions of PA Benefits and Barriers.
- Good internal consistency was found for both PPPAS subscales.
- Parental perceptions of PA barriers were linked to delays in adaptive functioning, daily living skills, socialization, and motor skills.
- Perceptions of PA barriers predicted parent-reported weekly unstructured PA and child activity ratings.
Conclusions:
- The PPPAS-Preschool is a reliable and valid tool for assessing parental PA perceptions in young children.
- Parental beliefs about PA barriers are associated with child developmental outcomes and activity levels.
- The PPPAS can be utilized in pediatric exercise research and clinical settings to inform PA interventions.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to examine a new tool (PPPAS = Parent Perceptions of Physical Activity Scale-Preschool) developed to study parental perceptions of physical activity (PA) among parents of toddler and preschool age children.
Method:
143 children (mean age 31.65 months; 75% male) and their parents were recruited from a neurodevelopmental clinic. Parents completed questionnaires, and both a psychologist and a physician evaluated the children. Eighty-three percent of the children received a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder; 20% of the children had a BMI > 85th percentile. Analyses were conducted to evaluate the reliability, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and predictive validity of PPPAS scores.
Results:
Results supported a two-factor structure: Perceptions of the Benefits of PA and the Barriers to PA. The internal consistency of scores was good for both PPPAS subscales, derived from the two factors. Parent perceptions of barriers to PA were significantly correlated with delays in overall adaptive functioning, daily living skills, socialization, and motor skills. When a child's motor skills were delayed, parents were less likely to believe PA was beneficial and perceived more barriers to PA. Parent perceptions of barriers to PA predicted parent-reported weekly unstructured PA and ratings of how physically active their child was compared with other children.
Conclusion:
We present the PPPAS-Preschool for use in pediatric exercise research and discuss potential applications for the study of parent perceptions of PA in young children.
