title: Interactions of psychosocial factors with built environments in explaining adolescents' active transportation.
abstract: The present study examined independent and interacting associations of psychosocial and neighborhood built environment variables with adolescents' reported active transportation. Moderating effects of adolescent sex were explored. Mixed-effects regression models were conducted on data from the Teen Environment and Neighborhood observational study (N=928) in the Seattle, WA and Baltimore regions 2009-2011. Frequency index of active transportation to neighborhood destinations (dependent variable) and 7 psychosocial measures were reported by adolescents. Built environment measures included home walkability and count of nearby parks and recreation facilities using GIS procedures and streetscape quality from environmental audits. Results indicated all 3 environmental variables and 3 psychosocial variables (self-efficacy, social support from peers, and enjoyment of physical activity) had significant positive main effects with active transportation (Ps<0.05). Three of 21 two-way interactions were significant in explaining active transportation (Ps<0.1): self-efficacy×GIS-based walkability index, barriers to activity in neighborhood×MAPS streetscape scores, and self-efficacy×GIS-based counts of parks and recreation facilities. In each two-way interaction the highest active transportation was found among adolescents with the combination of activity-supportive built environment and positive psychosocial characteristics. Three-way interactions with sex indicated similar associations for girls and boys, with one exception. Results provided modest support for the ecological model principle of interactions across levels, highlight the importance of both built environment and psychosocial factors in shaping adolescents' active transportation, demonstrated the possibility of sex-specific findings, and suggested strategies for improving adolescents' active transportation may be most effective when targeting multiple levels of influence.
authors.affiliation: College of Sport, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China. Electronic address: wangxb193@zzuli.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
authors.forename: Kelli L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.affiliation: Schools of Population and Public Health and Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Lawrence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: University of Washington Department of Pediatrics and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, P.O. Box 5371, Seattle, WA 98145, United States.
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Saelens
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geremia
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive # 0811, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and School of Nursing, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glanz
authors.affiliation: Children's Mercy Hospital, Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles and Nutrition, 610 E. 22nd St., Kansas City, MO 64108, United States.
authors.forename: Jordan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sallis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D015142:Baltimore; D002648:Child; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014186:Transportation; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology*; D014861:Washington
keywords: Ecological models; Moderators; Parks; Walkability