Children's perceptions of physical activity environments captured through ecological momentary assessment: a validation study.
OBJECTIVE
This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to investigate whether children's perceptions of physical activity (PA) settings correspond with (1) parents' perceptions of neighborhood characteristics (convergent construct validity) and (2) children's level of PA in those settings (concurrent criterion validity).


METHODS
Low-to-middle income, ethnically-diverse children (N=108) (ages 9-13) living in Southern California participated in 8 days of EMA during non-school time. EMA measured current activity type (e.g., sports/exercise, TV watching) and perceptions of the current setting (i.e., vegetation, traffic, safety). The Neighborhood Environment Walkability Survey (NEWS) assessed parents' perceptions of neighborhood characteristics. EMA responses were time-matched to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (measured by accelerometer) in the 30 min before and after each EMA survey. Data were collected in 2009-2010.


RESULTS
Children's perceptions of vegetation and traffic in PA settings corresponded with parents' perceptions of the aesthetics (OR=2.21, 95% CI=1.04-4.73) and traffic (OR=2.64, 95% CI=1.31-5.30) in neighborhood environment, respectively. MVPA minutes were higher in settings perceived by children to have less traffic (β=3.47, p<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This work provides initial support for the construct and criterion validity of EMA-based measures of children's perceptions of their PA environments.
Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033-9045, USA. dunton@usc.edu
Genevieve F
GF
Dunton
Stephen S
SS
Intille
Jennifer
J
Wolch
Mary Ann
MA
Pentz
D056044:Actigraphy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D004779:Environment Design; D004954:Esthetics / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011203:Poverty; D012052:Reimbursement, Incentive; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057185:Sedentary Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D012649:Self Concept; D012923:Social Class; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology