TY - JOUR
T1 - The association of family, friends, and teacher support with girls' sport and physical activity on the island of ireland
AU - O'Brien, Wesley
AU - Coppinger, Tara
AU - Hogan, Irene
AU - Belton, Sarahjane
AU - Murphy, Marie H.
AU - Powell, Cormac
AU - Woods, Catherine
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Human Kinetics, Inc.
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - Background: The current study was the largest physical activity (PA) surveillance assessment of youth undertaken in Ireland in recent years. The purpose of this research was to assess the impact of social support, while controlling for age and screen time, on PA and sport participation, across a representative sample of Irish female youth. Methods: A total of 3503 children (mean age: 13.54 [2.05] y) across the island of Ireland participated. Participants completed a previously validated electronic questionnaire while supervised in a classroom setting, which investigated their (1) levels of PA; (2) screen time; (3) community sport participation; and (4) social support (friend, family, and teacher) to be physically active/partake in sport. Results: There were significant differences, with medium and large effect sizes, for social support from friends and family across types of sports participation. Specifically, girls who participated in the most popular team sports, when compared with the most popular individual sports, reported higher social support scores for friends and family structures. Conclusions: Findings from this study confirm the contributing influence of friends and family as sport and PA support networks for girls. Interventions should consider the importance of culturally relevant team sports for PA engagement in female youth.
AB - Background: The current study was the largest physical activity (PA) surveillance assessment of youth undertaken in Ireland in recent years. The purpose of this research was to assess the impact of social support, while controlling for age and screen time, on PA and sport participation, across a representative sample of Irish female youth. Methods: A total of 3503 children (mean age: 13.54 [2.05] y) across the island of Ireland participated. Participants completed a previously validated electronic questionnaire while supervised in a classroom setting, which investigated their (1) levels of PA; (2) screen time; (3) community sport participation; and (4) social support (friend, family, and teacher) to be physically active/partake in sport. Results: There were significant differences, with medium and large effect sizes, for social support from friends and family across types of sports participation. Specifically, girls who participated in the most popular team sports, when compared with the most popular individual sports, reported higher social support scores for friends and family structures. Conclusions: Findings from this study confirm the contributing influence of friends and family as sport and PA support networks for girls. Interventions should consider the importance of culturally relevant team sports for PA engagement in female youth.
KW - Female
KW - Individual sport
KW - Screen time
KW - Team sport
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111661177&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1123/jpah.2020-0386
DO - 10.1123/jpah.2020-0386
M3 - Article
C2 - 34098528
AN - SCOPUS:85111661177
SN - 1543-3080
VL - 18
SP - 929
EP - 936
JO - Journal of Physical Activity and Health
JF - Journal of Physical Activity and Health
IS - 8
ER -