Gender, weight status and socioeconomic differences in psychosocial correlates of physical activity in schoolchildren.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to assess differences in attraction to physical activity, perceived physical competence and parental socialization influences across gender, body mass index and socioeconomic status in Portuguese children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: 683 children, aged 8-10 years, from elementary schools were participants. Attraction to physical activity, perceived physical competence, parental socialization influences and socioeconomic status were assessed via standardized questionnaires. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was calculated using body mass index, based on the international cut-off points. MANOVA and ANOVA models were conducted. RESULTS: Boys reported greater enjoyment of games and sports participation than did girls. Boys and normal-weight children perceived themselves as being more successful and physically competent than did girls and obese children. Normal-weight girls enjoyed participation in vigorous physical activity more than did overweight and obese girls. Obese children felt less accepted by their peers in games and sports than did normal-weight and overweight children. High and medium socioeconomic status children perceived physical activity participation as of greater importance than did low-socioeconomic status children. High-socioeconomic status girls reported greater liking of the exertional aspects of physical activity compared to low socioeconomic status girls. High socioeconomic status children were more likely to perceive their parents as positive role models and perceived that they had greater enjoyment of physical activity than did lower socioeconomic status children. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that physical activity promotion interventions should focus on girls, obese children and lower socioeconomic status children as these individuals tend to have lower levels of attraction to physical activity, lower perceived physical competence and less parent physical activity support, which puts them at greater risk of being physically inactive.

Psychosocial correlates of physical activity in school children aged 8-10 years.

BACKGROUND: Understanding correlates of physical activity (PA) among children in different populations may contribute to fostering active lifestyles. This study considered gender differences in relationships between biologic (body mass index, BMI), demographic (socioeconomic sport status, SES) and psychosocial correlates of PA and level of PA in Portuguese primary school children. METHODS: 683 children, aged 8-10 years, from 20 different elementary schools in northern Portugal were surveyed. Weight status was classified using International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria for the BMI. Family SES was estimated from school records. PA level and psychosocial correlates (attraction to PA, perceived physical competence and parental socialization) were obtained with interview and standardized questionnaires, respectively. Sex-specific hierarchical multiple regression analyses (SPSS 18.0) were conducted and included two blocks of predictor variables (biologic and demographic, and psychosocial). RESULTS: Level of PA was significantly higher in boys than girls. Enjoyment of participation in vigorous PA was positively associated with level of PA. Perceived acceptance by peers in games and sports and parental encouragement were positively and significantly related to PA in girls. Perceived physical competence was positively and significantly related to PA in boys. Weight status and SES were not associated with PA. CONCLUSIONS: Boys and girls differed in perceived attractiveness of PA and perceived physical competence, both of which influenced level of PA. Differences in perceptions may be important aspects of motivation for PA in school children.

Estado del arte, y perspectiva actual del concepto de bienestar psicológico en psicología del deporte / State of the art and current perspective of psychological well-being in sport psychology

La Teoría del bienestar Psicológico (Ryff, 1989) constituye uno de los eslabones fundamentales de la psicología positiva, la cual ha estado en marcada principalmente entre dos perspectivas que explican un modelo de mundo y un modelo de sujeto (Díaz, 2006). Ryff (1989) enuncia su modelo bautizado como “Modelo Integrado de Desarrollo Personal” (Integrated Model of Personal Develoment). Considerando que el deporte y la vida deportiva son actividades que requieren ser resistentes, alta capacidad volitiva, autonomía, poseer desafíos, plantearse objetivos, cumplir metas, crecer como persona, adaptarse a los distintos ambientes y cambios y para ello, relacionarse positivamente con el entorno, ser saludable, y mantener un control sobre lo que se hace, es por eso que nos detendremos en el concepto, y el análisis del bienestar psicológico y sus implicancias en el deporte y la psicología del deporte, desde el enfoque de Carol Ryff.

Well-being psychology theory (Ryff, 1989) is one of the essential links of positive psychology, which has been mainly framed between two perspectives that explain a model of world and a model of person (Díaz, 2006). Ryff (1989) states her model baptized as “Integrated Model of Personal Development”. Considering that sport, and life cycle sport are activities that demand to be strong, to have superior volitive skills, autonomy, be challenging, set up objectives, meet aims, grow as person, adapt to different environments and changes, and for that purpose, establish positive relationship with the others, be healthy and maintain self control, is for that reason we will stop into this concept and the analysis of psychological wellbeing and its involvement in sport, and sport psychology, from Carol Ryff perspective.