Web-based need-supportive parenting program to promote physical activity in secondary school students: a randomized controlled pilot trial.

BACKGROUND: Current global trend of insufficient physical activity (PA) among children and adolescents highlights the necessity of finding effective ways to promote PA in childhood. Self-determination theory (SDT) has demonstrated efficacy as a conceptual framework for developing interventions aimed at promoting diverse health behaviours. Parents have potential to influence children's health behaviours to a great extent, which could be enhanced from an online, self-paced training to gain knowledge on how to support children's intrinsic motivation towards particular health behaviour. In this pilot study, we developed and tested an online SDT-informed need-supportive training for parents, enabling them to interact with their children in a way to support their intrinsic motivation towards leisure-time physical activity. METHODS: Sixty eight students (Mage = 12.5 ± 0.72) and one parent for each child were randomly assigned to the 6-week intervention condition or control condition. Students completed psychological measures (i.e., perceptions of parents' need-supportive behaviours, basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, autonomous and controlled forms of motivation, as well as social cognition beliefs towards leisure-time PA) and self-reported PA pre-intervention, post-intervention, and one-month after the intervention. Repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted to test the effects of the intervention condition and time. RESULTS: While a statistically significant intervention effect on children's leisure-time PA was not found, students in the intervention group reported higher, albeit marginal, perceptions of intrinsic motivation (F(2, 84) = 3.095, p = 0.050) and lower perceptions of introjected regulation (F(2, 88) = 3.107, p = 0.050) and autonomy frustration (F(2, 84) = 2.987, p = 0.056) at follow-up. Contrary to expectations, children in the control group demonstrated higher perceptions of intention (F(2, 84) = 4.838, p = 0.010) and effort (F(2, 80) = 3.473, p = 0.036) towards leisure-time physical activity at follow-up. No significant changes were found in perceptions of need-supportive behaviour from parents, attitude, and perceived behavioural control. CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study highlights the importance of parental training and the potential for SDT-informed interventions to support children's intrinsic motivation towards physical activity. Further research is needed to test the intervention in other domains and combine interventions in several domains to have the highest impact. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This pilot study is part of preparation for the main study, prospectively registered in ISRCTN registry as ISRCTN78373974 (15.12.2022). The current stage of the main study is 'recruiting'.

Results from Estonia's 2022 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth: Research Gaps and Five Key Messages and Actions to Follow.

The aim of this article is to summarize the results of the 2022 Estonian Physical Activity Report Card across 10 indicators based on available scientific data and national databases, and, additionally, to compare the current results with previous Report Card results. A national expert panel, consisting of research and policy experts, identified the available sources and synthesized as well as graded relevant data related to the physical activity (PA) of Estonian children and youth. Grade B was assigned to Organized Sports and Physical Activity (B-), Community and Environment (B+), and Government (B). Grade C was assigned to Overall Physical Activity (C+), Physical Fitness (C+), Family and Peers (C-), and School (C+). The lowest grade, D, was assigned to Active Play (D), Active Transportation (D+), and Sedentary Behaviors (D-). In Estonia, the participation rate in organized sport is relatively high, and government in addition to community support seem to be at a relatively good level. However, a relatively high number of children and youth did not meet the current PA guidelines, and the levels of sedentary behavior and screen time were very high. The PA of children and youth should be a cross-disciplinary priority, and focus should be put on developing schoolyards and outdoor breaks, varied and easily accessible organized sport, the use of active transportation, and the implementation of physical education that supports leisure time activities.

Fostering Need-Supportive Behaviors in Physical Education Teachers and Parents: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Study Protocol of a Web-Based Intervention on Secondary School Students' Physical Activity.

Despite various benefits of physical activity, children are increasingly inactive. Both school physical education classes and support from parents are important determinants of physical activity level of children and adolescents. We aim to develop a web-based intervention for physical education teachers and parents to teach them to be more need-supportive towards children when discussing physical activity and thus increase children's autonomous motivation towards it. The study will adopt a waitlist-control design with cluster randomization by schools. The intervention content is based on self-determination theory. Specifically, the teachers and parents will be introduced to a series of motivation and behavior change techniques to help them satisfy the children's psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in physical activity. The targeted group in the six-week intervention is comprised of students aged 12-14 years. The primary outcome variable, physical activity of students, will be assessed via self-report questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, one-month and six-month follow-up. Web-based intervention programs are cost-effective, allow self-paced learning and enable reaching larger audiences. If this project proves to be effective, a highly valuable web-based solution would be available for PE teachers and parents to help increase students' physical activity levels.

Application of the trans-contextual model to predict change in leisure time physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: This study tested effects of changes in the psychological constructs of the trans-contextual model (TCM) on changes in adolescents' outside of school moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA) measured using self-report and accelerometer-based device. DESIGN: A three-wave longitudinal design was used. High school students (N = 331) completed measures of all the TCM constructs at Time1 and at Time2, five weeks apart. Self-reported PA behaviour was measured also at Time3, five weeks after Time2. PA was measured using accelerometer-based devices for seven days following Time1 and Time3 for a census week. RESULTS: A structural equation model using residual change scores revealed that perceived autonomy support from physical education (PE) teachers positively predicted autonomous motivation in PE. Autonomous motivation in PE positively predicted autonomous motivation in leisure time. Leisure-time autonomous motivation was positively and indirectly related to intention, mediated by attitude and perceived behavioural control. Intention positively predicted self-reported PA, and mediated the effect of autonomous motivation on self-reported PA. There were no effects on outside of school PA measured by accelerometer-based device. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide qualified support for the TCM in the prediction of change in adolescents' leisure-time autonomous motivation, intention, and self-reported PA, but not change in PA measured by accelerometer-based device.

The Roles of Grit and Motivation in Predicting Children's Leisure-Time Physical Activity: One-Year Effects.

In this study, we tested two alternative models for investigating the ability of dimensions of personal grit (consistency of interest and perseverance of effort) and autonomous motivation to predict the leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) over a one-year period of 256 youth (aged 11-15 years at the beginning of the study). Specifically, we compared a model in which dimensions of grit were assumed to predict LTPA through autonomous motivation with a model in which autonomous motivation was assumed to predict LTPA through dimensions of grit. We tested the two models using variance-based structural equation modelling with Warp PLS v7.0 software. Both models showed a good fit with the data and equally explained 41% of the variance in LTPA over this one-year time period. However, the model based on the total effect of autonomous motivation (ß = 0.448, p < 0.001, ES = 0.229) on LTPA through the dimensions of grit was stronger than the model based on the total effect of perseverance of effort (ß = 0.356, p < 0.001, ES = 0.126) on LTPA through autonomous motivation, and the total effect of consistency of interest was not significant (ß = -0.029, p > 0.05, ES = 0.003). Our findings underscore the relatively greater importance of the interplay between autonomous motivation and perseverance of effort, versus consistency of interest, in predicting LTPA among youth over a one-year period.

Web-Based and Face-To-Face Autonomy-Supportive Intervention for Physical Education Teachers and Students' Experiences.

The most of the previous autonomy-supportive interventions conducted have been partially effective and used only web-based or face-to-face approach. In the current study, a combined web-based and face-to-face intervention for physical education (PE) teachers was tested to examine whether it would lead to significant changes in students' self-reports of autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviours, psychological need satisfaction and frustration, and intrinsic motivation. Participants were 57 PE teachers (Mage = 45.70, SD = 12.79) and their 858 middle-school students (Mage = 13.22, SD = 0.75). A randomized controlled design was adopted in which PE teachers and their students were assigned to the combined face-to-face and web-based, face-to-face alone, web-based alone or control group. Face-to-face intervention was provided to PE teachers within one day in an 8-hour workshop and web-based intervention was provided to PE teachers for a period of four weeks. The combined face-to-face and web-based intervention group was the only study group that demonstrated statistically significant changes in all the study variables (i.e., significant increase in cognitive, organisational, and procedural autonomy-supportive behaviour, in psychological need satisfaction for autonomy, competence and relatedness, and in intrinsic motivation, whereas significant decrease in intimidation, controlling use of grades, and negative conditional regard, and in psychological need frustration for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) compared to the control group at a one-month follow-up. There were no significant differences in any of the study variable, except organisational autonomy support and intimidation, between the web-based intervention group and face-to-face intervention group. Both web-based and face-to-face study group students reported significant gains in most of the study variables compared to the control group students at a one-month follow-up. The current findings suggest that future autonomy-supportive interventions for PE teachers should aim to use combined interventions of face-to-face and web-based approach to gain the greatest intervention effects.

Motivational processes in physical education and objectively measured physical activity among adolescents.

PURPOSE: Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), the present study tested how students' perceptions of autonomy support from physical education teachers predicts objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of adolescents. According to SDT, it was expected that psychological needs and autonomous and controlled forms of motivation would mediate these relationships. METHODS: Students (n = 397) aged from 11 to 15 years in 17 different schools filled in questionnaires regarding SDT variables. In addition, objective MVPA was measured using an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X; ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL, USA) for 7 days. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the hypothesized relationships among the study variables. RESULTS: The theory-based model showed a good fit with the data: χ2 = 642.464, df = 257; comparative fit index = 0.932; non-normed fit index = 0.921; root mean square error of approximation = 0.062; root mean square error of approximation 90% confidence interval: 0.054-0.067. As hypothesized, there was a significant and positive direct relationship between autonomy support and need satisfaction (ß = 0.81, p = 0.001). In turn, need satisfaction positively predicted intrinsic motivation (ß = 0.86, p = 0.001). Intrinsic motivation was positively related to MVPA (ß = 0.29, p = 0.009). A significant indirect effect (ß = 0.20, p = 0.004) supported the mediating role of psychological need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation in the relationship between perceived autonomy support and objectively measured MVPA. CONCLUSION: The findings of the current study support the applicability of the SDT-based model in explaining the antecedents of objectively measured MVPA of adolescents. To enhance adolescents' daily MVPA, special focus should be put on increasing their intrinsic motivation toward physical education.

Detrimental Effect of Perceived Controlling Behavior from Physical Education Teachers on Students' Leisure-Time Physical Activity Intentions and Behavior: An Application of the Trans-Contextual Model.

In the present study, a trans-contextual model was applied to examine the relations between students' perceptions of controlling behavior from teachers, frustration over their basic psychological needs, autonomous motivation toward physical activity in a physical education context, autonomous motivation toward physical activity in an out-of-school context, beliefs and intentions toward future physical activity, and actual participation in physical activity outside of school. We adopted a three-wave prospective study design in which 234 students aged 11-19 years first completed measures of perceived controlling behavior from teachers, frustration over their basic psychological needs, and autonomous motivation toward physical activity in physical education. One week later, their autonomous motivation, beliefs, and intentions toward physical activity outside of school were measured. Students' self-reported engagement in physical activity outside of school was assessed another five weeks later. Results of the path analysis revealed a significant and negative indirect effect of perceived controlling behavior from physical education teachers on students' intention toward physical activity outside of school via the proposed motivational sequence of the trans-contextual model. There was also a significant and negative indirect effect of perceived controlling behavior from physical education teachers on students' self-reported engagement in physical activity outside of school, mediated by the frustration over their need for competence in physical education. Findings emphasize the importance of decreasing controlling behaviors from teachers in a physical education context so as not to inhibit students' physical activity behavior in an out-of-school context.

Perceived Controlling Behaviors of Physical Education Teachers and Objectively Measured Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Adolescents.

The facilitative role of perceived autonomy support from physical education (PE) teachers on adolescents' leisure-time physical activity (PA) has been supported. This study aimed to examine the mechanism by which perceived controlling behaviors from PE teachers relate to adolescents' objectively measured leisure-time PA. In a three-wave prospective study, a total of 159 students (64 boys) aged 11 to 19 years old (Mage = 14.94 years; SD = 2.11) completed measures of perceived controlling behavior, frustration of the basic psychological needs, and motivational regulations in PE. One week later, motivational regulations towards leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were assessed. Five weeks later, MVPA was measured using accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X) during seven consecutive days. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that perceived controlling behavior predicted students' frustration of basic psychological needs in PE. The competence need frustration in PE had a negative direct effect on objectively measured MVPA. A significant indirect effect supported the mediating role of competence frustration in PE in the relation between perceived controlling behavior from PE teachers and MVPA in adolescents. Findings suggest that future interventions striving to promote adolescents' PA engagement in their leisure-time should focus on decreasing controlling behaviors from teachers in PE that may manipulate the teacher-student relation.

Effects of a Web-Based Intervention for PE Teachers on Students' Perceptions of Teacher Behaviors, Psychological Needs, and Intrinsic Motivation.

Interventions based on self-determination theory to help teachers support their students' autonomy have measured teachers' autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviors as unidimensional constructs. This study investigated whether a Web-Based Autonomy-Supportive Intervention Program (WB-ASIP) for physical education (PE) teachers would alter their students' perceptions of (a) the teachers' multidimensional autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviors, (b) their own psychological need satisfaction and frustration, and (c) perceived intrinsic motivation. We found that WB-ASIP significantly increased students' perceptions of all autonomy-supportive teacher behaviors and students' need satisfaction. At follow-up, we found that WB-ASIP led to a significant decrease in students' perception of teacher intimidation behaviors and students' autonomy frustration. These results suggest that a web-based intervention program to enhance PE teachers' autonomy-supportive behavior and minimize their controlling behavior was partially effective in positively changing their students' perceptions.

A brief intervention to increase physical activity behavior among adolescents using mental simulations and action planning.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief integrated theory-based intervention to increase physical activity (PA) among adolescents over a three-month follow-up period. A 2 (mental simulation: present vs. absent) × 2 (action planning: present vs. absent) × 4 (time: baseline vs. one-month vs. two-month vs. three-month follow-up) mixed-model randomized controlled design was adopted. Adolescents aged 14-15 years (N = 267) completed baseline psychological measures and self-reported PA followed by the relevant intervention manipulation, if appropriate, with follow-up measures collected one, two, and three months later. Results revealed no significant effects for the mental simulation and action planning strategies nor the interaction of the two strategies. However, among participants with low levels of baseline PA, participants in both mental simulation alone and action planning alone groups reported significantly higher levels of PA at one-month follow up than other groups, suggesting that individual intervention components may be effective in low-active adolescents.

An intervention crossing two types of action planning with mental simulation for the promotion of physical activity among adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Four of every five adolescents do not meet the current physical activity (PA) recommendations. Therefore, there is a need for effective interventions that promote PA behavior among adolescents. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated theory-based intervention to promote leisure-time PA (LTPA) among adolescents over a 1-month follow-up period. METHODS: Following the completion of self-reported LTPA at baseline, 316 adolescents aged 14-16 years were randomized into one of six conditions based on a 2 (outcome mental simulation: present vs. absent)×3 (action planning: standard vs. reasoning vs. absent) factorial design. The LTPA was measured again 1 month later. RESULTS: The intervention did not change adolescents' self-reported LTPA over a 1-month follow-up period. Participants receiving either of the intervention manipulation or combination of these intervention manipulations did not demonstrate significantly higher levels of LTPA compared with partcipants who did not receive intervention manipulations. This might be due to several reasons such as complexity of the target behavior, lack of booster sessions within the follow-up period, or seasonality issues. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that such an integrated intervention may not yet be ready for implementation in promoting LTPA behavior among adolescents.

Relationships between perceived teachers' controlling behaviour, psychological need thwarting, anger and bullying behaviour in high-school students.

We tested a model of the associations between students' perceptions of their physical education teacher's controlling behaviour, perceptions of basic psychological need thwarting, anger and bullying behaviour. School students (N = 602; M age = 12.88, SD = 1.37) from 10 schools completed measures of perceived teachers' controlling behaviour and perceived thwarting of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in physical education context and self-reported bullying and anger. A well-fitting structural equation model demonstrated that students' perceptions of the negative conditional regard and intimidation exhibited by the teacher had significant indirect effect on students' feelings of anger and bullying behaviour through the perceived psychological need thwarting in physical education. Findings suggest that physical education teachers who avoid the use of negative conditional regard and intimidation in their classes have students who perceive less need thwarting and report less bullying behaviour.

Predicting alcohol consumption and binge drinking in company employees: an application of planned behaviour and self-determination theories.

OBJECTIVES: This study tested an integrated model of the psychosocial determinants of alcohol-related behaviour among company employees from four nations. A motivational sequence was proposed in which motivational orientations from self-determination theory influenced intentions to consume alcohol within guideline limits and alcohol-related behaviour via the mediation of the theory of planned behaviour variables of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control (PBC). DESIGN: A three-wave prospective design using self-reported psychological and behavioural measures. METHODS: Company employees (N= 486, males = 225, females = 261; M age = 30.41, SD= 8.31) from four nations (Estonia, Finland, Sweden, and UK) completed measures of autonomous and controlled motivation from self-determination theory, attitudes, subjective norms, PBC, intentions from the theory of planned behaviour, and self-reported measures of past alcohol consumption and binge-drinking occasions at the first time point (time 1). Follow-up psychological and behavioural measures were taken one month later (time 2) and follow-up behavioural measures taken a further 2 months later (time 3). RESULTS: Path analyses supported the motivational sequence with identified regulation (time 1), predicting intentions (time 1), and alcohol units consumed (time 2). The effects were indirect via the mediation of attitudes and PBC (time 1). A similar pattern of effects was found for the effect of time 2 psychological variables on time 3 units of alcohol consumed. There was little support for the effects of the psychological variables on binge-drinking behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide new information on the psychosocial determinants of alcohol behaviour in company employees and the processes involved. Results may provide impetus for the development of interventions to reduce alcohol consumption.

An intervention to reduce alcohol consumption in undergraduate students using implementation intentions and mental simulations: a cross-national study.

BACKGROUND: Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to deleterious health consequences among undergraduate students. There is a need to develop theory-based and cost-effective brief interventions to attenuate alcohol consumption in this population. PURPOSE: The present study tested the effectiveness of an integrated theory-based intervention in reducing undergraduates' alcohol consumption in excess of guideline limits in national samples from Estonia, Finland, and the UK. METHOD: A 2 (volitional: implementation intention vs. no implementation intention) × 2 (motivation: mental simulation vs. no mental simulation) × 3 (nationality: Estonia vs. Finland vs. UK) randomized-controlled design was adopted. Participants completed baseline psychological measures and self-reported number of alcohol units consumed and binge-drinking frequency followed by the intervention manipulation. One month later, participants completed follow-up measures of the psychological variables and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Results revealed main effects for implementation intention and nationality on units of alcohol consumed at follow-up and an implementation intention × nationality interaction. Alcohol consumption was significantly reduced in the implementation intention condition for the Estonian and UK samples. There was a significant main effect for nationality and an implementation intention × nationality interaction on binge-drinking frequency. Follow-up tests revealed significant reductions in binge-drinking occasions in the implementation intention group for the UK sample only. CONCLUSION: Results support the implementation intention component of the intervention in reducing alcohol drinking in excess of guideline limits among Estonian and UK undergraduates. There was no support for the motivational intervention or the interaction between the strategies. Results are discussed with respect to intervention design based on motivational and volitional approaches.

Health-related quality of life of Estonian adolescents: reliability and validity of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales in Estonia.

AIM: The main aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0) Generic Core Scales among Estonian adolescents. Gender differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were also investigated. METHODS: The 654 adolescents (309 boys and 345 girls) aged 13-14 years (M age = 13.57 years, SD = 0.62) completed Estonian version of the PedsQL™ 4.0. RESULTS: Results of the confirmatory factor analysis for a five-factor model of the Estonian version of PedsQL™ 4.0 approached the criteria of acceptable fit after setting error covariance to be free between some of the items within physical health, emotional functioning and social functioning subscales. Cronbach's alpha coefficients exceeded the minimum criterion of 0.70 for all subscales except for days missed from school because of illness subscale. With regard to gender differences, consistent with previous studies, girls reported lower level on total score of HRQoL as well as its aspects of physical health, emotional functioning and psychosocial health. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that after some modifications, the PedsQL™ 4.0 could be considered as suitable instrument to measure HRQoL among Estonian adolescents.

Perceived teaching behaviors and self-determined motivation in physical education: a test of self-determination theory.

In the present study, we tested the effects of specific dimensions of perceived teaching behaviors on students' self-determined motivation in physical education. In accordance with the tenets of self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000), we expected the psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness would mediate these effects. Secondary school students (N=498) ages 12-17 years completed measures of perceived teaching behaviors for seven dimensions: (a) democratic behavior, (b) autocratic behavior (c) teaching and instruction, (d) situation consideration, (e) positive general feedback, (f) positive nonverbal feedback, and (h) negative nonverbal feedback. They also completed measures of perceived satisfaction for competence, autonomy, relatedness, and self-determined motivation. A path-analytic model revealed a positive, indirect effect of perceived positive general feedback on self-determined motivation. The effects of perceived autocratic behavior and negative nonverbal feedback were direct and negative, whereas the effects of teaching and instruction and situation consideration were direct and positive. Results suggest that feedback, situation consideration, and teaching and instruction are essential antecedents to self-determined motivation.