Factors affecting the intention to perform physical activity: A theory-based research

The current physical activity (PA) levels among adolescent girls are below the expected standards. The application of theories and models, particularly in the context of PA, proves effective in identifying and understanding the factors that influence intention, which is a key determinant of behavior. The present study was aimed at determining factors influencing the high-school girls' intentions to engage in PA, employing the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as the foundational framework.

This study was conducted among 220 randomly chosen female high-school students in Sarpol-e Zahab. The questionnaire gathered information on demographic characteristics and constructs of the theory, including intention, attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms. Data analysis involved one-way analysis of variance, independent t-tests, descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression, all processed in SPSS version 16 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).(P < 0.05).

The regression analysis revealed that both attitude (β = 0.401, P < 0.001) and subjective norms (β = 0.170, P = 0.005) were significant predictors of PA intention, accounting for 25.9% of the variance. In contrast, perceived behavioral control (β = 0.077, P = 0.236) did not significantly predict PA intention.

TPB, with particular emphasis on both attitude and subjective norm constructs, is recommended, as both are significant predictors of intention. However, attitude has been identified as the strongest predictor. This approach should be prioritized when designing educational interventions aimed at promoting PA among female students.