An Egocentric Network Analysis of Remote and In-Person Social Support and Physical Activity

Most people are insufficiently physically active. Evidence indicates that social support can be used to promote physical activity and can be sourced from online connections, but it is unclear which type (1. appraisal, 2. belongingness, 3. emotional, 4. informational, or 5. instrumental) and setting (in-person or remote) of social support is associated with physical activity levels.

A one-time, online Qualtrics survey asked participants (n = 201) how many minutes per week they spend being physically active; who their social supporters are; and how often support is sought, received, reciprocated, satisfactory, in-person, and remote. Network composition scores were computed by averaging the frequencies of (1) seeking, (2) receiving, (3) reciprocating, (4) satisfaction of, (5) in-person setting, and (6) remote setting for all nominations within each type of social support. Five regressions were used to assess if network compositions are associated with physical activity level.

The informational (R2 = .07, P = .19), instrumental (R2 = -.12, P = .88), appraisal (R2 = .05, P = .25), and belongingness (R2 = -.03, P = .60) models were not statistically significant; however, the emotional (R2 = .39, P < .001) model was statistically significant. Notably, in-person (b = -163.11, SE = 53.57), receiving (b = -156.33, SE = 74.63), and reciprocating (b = 116.25, SE = 53.08) emotional support was associated with physical activity level.

These results indicate that physical activity is associated with receiving less but reciprocating more emotional support. In addition, the in-person setting for emotional support seems contradirectional to physical activity, but further research is required to determine the directionality and causality of in-person emotional support and physical activity.