Social support for physical activity of middle school students.
OBJECTIVE
To explore gender and age differences in social support and their relationship with physical activity.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study with enhanced reliability due to repeated measures involved 105 boys and 101 girls.


METHODS
Information on sources and forms of social support, as well as physical activity, was obtained from students, who completed the same questionnaire twice, 2 weeks apart.


RESULTS
Boys, compared with girls, were more likely to name fathers and less likely to identify sisters. Compared with older boys, older girls were less likely to identify fathers. Older girls were less likely than both younger girls and older boys to name brothers. Students who identified fathers reported more minutes and days of physical activity and had a stronger physical activity self-definition than those who did not name fathers. Students who selected peers and sisters had more minutes of physical activity and a stronger physical activity self-definition, respectively, than those who did not name peers and sisters. Transportation and encouragement were related to physical activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender differences in social support are not uniform across age groups. Awareness of these differences can inform the development of appropriate physical activity programs.
Robbins
Lorraine B
LB
Michigan State University College of Nursing, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. robbin76@msu.edu
Stommel
Manfred
M
Hamel
Lauren M
LM
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009043:Motor Activity; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires