Sources and Types of Social Support for Physical Activity Perceived by Fifth to Eighth Grade Girls

Information is lacking on forms and sources of social support for physical activity (PA) received by adolescent girls during various pubertal stages. Two study purposes were to (a) identify the sources and forms of social support for PA perceived by adolescent girls, and (b) examine associations of pubertal stage and social support with PA.

A secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial was conducted. Fifth through eighth grade girls (N = 1,519) completed surveys on social support for PA and pubertal stage and wore an accelerometer.

Girls in early-middle and late-post puberty most frequently received social support from their mothers. A higher proportion of girls in late-post puberty, compared to early-middle puberty, received social support from nonfamily adults (4.2% vs. 3.0%, p = .019). Girls identifying three sources participated in more moderate-to-vigorous PA than those having fewer sources (t_1,512 = -3.57, p < .001). Various forms of social support, except for encouragement, were positively related to moderate-to-vigorous PA. Girls in early-middle puberty reported greater social support than those in late-post puberty (t_1,512 = 3.99, p < .001). Social support was positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous PA, while girls in late-post puberty had lower moderate-to-vigorous PA than those in early-middle puberty.

Mothers are important sources of social support for PA. Having more than two sources may result in greater PA. Encouraging girls to increase their PA may not be sufficient.

Efforts are needed from health professionals to prevent any decline in social support for PA as girls advance across adolescence.