Do Attitudes Translate into Behavior? Modeling the Link between Physical Activity Attitudes and Participation among School Children

Abstract

Although there is no doubt regarding the advantages of exercising, schoolchildren’s inactivity remains one of the most serious health concerns in the community. The current study aimed at testing the possible mediating effects of SES and gender on the relationship between attitudes of school children toward physical exercise and actual exercise behaviors among students of Azar Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The sample for the cross-sectional study was made up of N = 400 students aged 11 to 16 attending state secondary schools. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire that measured levels of effective attitude (dimension), cognitive attitude (dimension), perceived value of attitude (dimension), and physical activity participation. Measurement validity and test structural relationships were assessed with the help of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings revealed that the attitudes were significant predictors of participation in physical activity (=.48 p =.001). Moderation analysis revealed stronger effects among boys (β = .52, p < .001) compared to girls (β = .39, p < .01), and among higher SES students (β = .55, p < .001) compared to lower SES students (β = .34, p < .05). The highest loading was on the affective dimension (enjoyment). These results raise awareness regarding an attitude-behavior gap and the need to consider interventions on a case-by-case basis.