The predictive relationship between parents' perceptions of physical activity and children's physical literacy

Parents play an important role in children's physical literacy development (across cognitive, physical, affective, and behavioral domains) and physical activity participation. The purpose of this study was mainly to ascertain the predictive effects of parents' perceptions of physical activity (PPPA) on children' physical literacy and its four domains. Children (N = 195; M_age = 9.09 ± 1.08) from five classes at one primary school in Central China completed the simplified Chinese version of Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy version two (CAPL-2). Their parents completed the PPPA questionnaire that measured parental attitude, awareness, value, understanding, and appreciation. We also gathered data on demographic and anthropometric factors including gender, age, socioeconomic status (SES), and body mass index (BMI). Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM; child nested in classes) was used to examine the predictive effects of PPPA on children's physical literacy and its four domains, after controlling for gender, age, SES, BMI, and gender of participating parent. The children's total physical literacy level was at the progressing stage (M = 66.91 ± 10.13) and their parents' PPPA averaged at 92.50 ± 3.81 (87.62%). PPPA significantly predicted physical literacy (β = 0.61, p < 0.01) and its cognitive (β = 0.11, p = 0.03) and physical domains (β = 0.17, p < 0.01). Parental valuing significantly predicted physical literacy (β = 0.88, p = 0.01) and its physical (β = 0.27, p = 0.03) and affective domains (β = 0.32, p = 0.02). Parental understanding also predicted physical literacy (β = 0.91, p = 0.04). PPPA, especially valuing and understanding, is an influential factor to consider when fostering children's physical literacy.