Social influence and adolescent health-related physical activity in structured and unstructured settings: role of channel and type.
BACKGROUND
Social influence channels (e.g., parents) and types (e.g., compliance) have each been related to physical activity independently, but little is known about how these two categories of influence may operate in combination.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined the relationships between various combinations of social influence and physical activity among youth across structured and unstructured settings.


METHODS
Adolescents (N=304), classified as high or low active, reported the social influence combinations they received for being active.


RESULTS
Participants identified three channels and three types of influence associated with being active. For structured activity, compliance with peers and significant others predicted membership in the high active group (values of p< .001). In the unstructured setting, peer compliance (p= .009) and conformity (p= .019) were associated with active group membership.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings reinforce considering both setting, as well as the channel/type combinations of social influence, when examining health-related physical activity.
College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, 87 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B2, Canada. kevin.spink@usask.ca
Kevin S
KS
Spink
Kathleen S
KS
Wilson
Jocelyn
J
Ulvick
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*