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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Amanda S. Birnbaum, PhD, MPH¹, Tracy R. Nichols, PhD², and Sara Birnel². (1) Department of Health & Nutrition Sciences, Montclair State University, University Hall, 4th Floor, Montclair, NJ 07043, 973-655-7115, birnbauma@mail.montclair.edu, (2) Public Health, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 411 East 69th Street, KB-201, New York, NY 10021

Some gender differences in adolescent physical activity (PA) are widely recognized: steeper declines in girls' PA than boys', differences in types of PA preferred, and differential effects by gender in intervention studies. However, less is known regarding how PA is experienced by gender and how to effectively promote PA in both sexes. This is especially important given the relationship of adolescent PA to PA across the lifespan. This presentation reports on focus groups and in-depth interviews with 11-14 year old multiethnic urban adolescent males and females in New York City. Although some similarities and expected differences across the sexes were observed, novel and potentially important gender differences also surfaced for how PA is approached and enjoyed, how girls and boys perceive their own skills, and how they use PA in social contexts. One theme is the concept of gender-specific “bravado,” which particularly stood out when participants reported PA mishaps and injuries as being “so funny.” Boys' bravado emphasized physical aggression and risk, as conveyed in their language about joys of PA – “beating up on,” “bopping on,” “domination” – and descriptions of laughing at injuries to themselves and others. Girls' bravado was more socially focused and emphasized laughing and “goofing” at themselves for their lack of skills. Girls embraced a sense of low skill and focused on others' superior skills, yet sought peers with comparable skills to share experiences of “messing up.” This presentation describes the novel gender differences and how we will use these findings to develop a mixed-gender PA intervention.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to

• summarize gender differences in young adolescents’ physical activity patterns and preferences,
• describe the differences between girls’ and boys’ approaches to PA enjoyment and self-definition, and
• explain how these findings can be applied in intervention development.

Keywords: Gender, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No