- Title
- The role of self-efficacy in explaining gender differences in physical activity among adolescents: a multilevel analysis
- Creator
- Spence, John C.; Blanchard, Chris M.; Clark, Marianne; Plotnikoff, Ronald C.; Storey, Kate E.; McCargar, Linda
- Relation
- Journal of Physical Activity & Health Vol. 7, Issue 2, p. 176-83
- Relation
- http://journals.humankinetics.com/jpah-back-issues/JPAHVolume7Issue2March/TheRoleofSelfEfficacyinExplainingGenderDifferencesinPhysicalActivityAmongAdolescentsAMultilevelAnalysis
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2010
- Description
- Background: The purposes of this study were to determine if a) gender moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and physical activity (PA) among youth in Alberta, Canada, and, alternatively b) if self-efficacy mediated the relationship between gender and PA. Methods: A novel web-based tool was used to survey a regionally diverse sample of 4779 students (boys = 2222, girls = 2557) from 117 schools in grades 7 to 10 (mean age = 13.64 yrs.). Among other variables, students were asked about their PA and self-efficacy for participating in PA. Results: Based upon a series of multilevel analyses, self-efficacy was found to be a significantly stronger correlate of PA for girls. But, boys had significantly higher self-efficacy compared with girls, which resulted in significantly more PA. Conclusions: Findings suggest self-efficacy is an important correlate of PA among adolescent girls but that boys are more physically active because they have more self-efficacy for PA.
- Subject
- children; exercise; determinants; social cognitive models
- Identifier
- uon:9380
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/921719
- Identifier
- ISSN:1543-3080
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