Examining Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Youth Attitudes Toward Physical Activity and Physical Education

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) populations experience persistent disparities in physical activity (PA) and chronic disease, however, little is known about NHPI youths affective orientations toward PA and physical education (PE). The purpose of this study was to examine NHPI youths' attitudes toward PA and PE and their associations with intentions and behavior. Participants included 1,163 students in grades 4-12 from 11 schools (5 elementary, 6 secondary) across 2 islands in Hawai'i, with 57% identifying as NHPI. Students completed validated measures of PA attitudes, PE attitudes, PA intention, and self-reported PA. No differences emerged between NHPI and non-NHPI students across attitudes, intentions, or PA behavior. Within NHPI youth, positive PA attitudes were significantly associated with both PA intention and behavior, whereas PE attitudes were not. Findings challenge deficit-based assumptions that NHPI youth possess negative orientations toward PA. Instead, NHPI youth demonstrate positive PA attitudes that appear to operate independently of school-based PE experiences. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of distinguishing PA and PE attitudes within TPB-informed research and by underscoring the need for culturally responsive approaches that sustain positive PA dispositions across development.