Physical activity self-definition and the ENCOURAGE project: An intervention outcome and a physical activity correlate

Abstract

Variables that capture physical activity (PA) related aspects of self-concept are reliable correlates of motivation for and engagement in PA (Strachan & Whaley, 2013). In recognition of this link, researchers (Marsh, Papaiannou & Theodorakis, 2006) recommend the examination of the impact of PA interventions on PA aspects of self-concept; one such construct is PA self-definition (PASD) (Kendzierski & Morganstein, 2009). This study assessed the impact of a PA intervention (the ENCOURAGE trial; a quasi-experimental PA demonstration project) on participants’ PASD and determined if PASD at intervention-end was related to PA. Participants who completed the intervention were 64 insufficiently-active people between the ages of 30 and 65. Upon physician recommendation, participants participated in 5 kinesiologist visits over 16 weeks with the goal of increasing PA.  At both baseline and intervention-end (16 weeks), participants completed demographics, the PASD measure (Kendzierski, 1998) and wore accelerometers for 7 days. A paired-samples t-test comparing participants’ baseline and 16 week PASD revealed that levels were significantly greater (p < .005) at intervention-end than at baseline t (63)=2.95. A linear regression revealed a significant association at intervention-end between meeting PA guidelines and PASD scores (beta= .267, p < .05). Findings support recommendations that PA related aspects of self-concept may be important PA intervention outcomes. Future research should determine if PA related aspects of self-concept and their association with PA can be further increased through PA interventions which directly target these aspects.