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Social Influence and Adolescent Health-Related Physical Activity in Structured and Unstructured Settings: Role of Channel and Type

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Social influence channels (e.g., parents) and types (e.g., compliance) have each been related to physical activity independently, but little is known about how these two categories of influence may operate in combination.

Purpose

This study examined the relationships between various combinations of social influence and physical activity among youth across structured and unstructured settings.

Methods

Adolescents (N = 304), classified as high or low active, reported the social influence combinations they received for being active.

Results

Participants identified three channels and three types of influence associated with being active. For structured activity, compliance with peers and significant others predicted membership in the high active group (values of p < .001). In the unstructured setting, peer compliance (p = .009) and conformity (p = .019) were associated with active group membership.

Conclusions

These findings reinforce considering both setting, as well as the channel/type combinations of social influence, when examining health-related physical activity.

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Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, 87 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5B2, Canada

    Kevin S. Spink PhD & Jocelyn Ulvick MSc

  2. California State University, Fullerton, CA, USA

    Kathleen S. Wilson PhD

Authors
  1. Kevin S. Spink PhD
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  2. Kathleen S. Wilson PhD
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  3. Jocelyn Ulvick MSc
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Correspondence to Kevin S. Spink PhD.

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Spink, K.S., Wilson, K.S. & Ulvick, J. Social Influence and Adolescent Health-Related Physical Activity in Structured and Unstructured Settings: Role of Channel and Type. ann. behav. med. 44, 94–103 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9368-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9368-3

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