2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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331854
Changes in developmental assets and physical activity frequency among 3rd – 5th grade girls participating in a girl-focused sport-based positive youth development program


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Jennifer Bleck, MPH, Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Rita DeBate, PhD, MPH, FAED, FAAHB, Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Kaitlin Taylor, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Background: Despite findings that support physical activity as an effective means of improving health and quality of life, across all ages, girls are less active than boys. Factors that influence lower physical activity participation rates among girls include, lack of motivation, low interest, low self-esteem, shyness, low self-efficacy, poor body image, and lack of peer support. Sport-based positive youth development (PYD) programs use sport as a medium for providing youth with opportunities for addressing determinants and increasing developmental assets. The purpose of the current exploratory study was to explore the impacts of an innovative girl-focused sport-based PYD program for 3rd-5th graders on developmental assets and physical activity frequency.

Methods: The study employed a secondary data analysis of evaluation data of the sport-based PYD program, Girls on the Run, implemented as part of the Greater Tampa Bay chapter (n=384). Pre and post data were collected using a 64-item questionnaire which assessed developmental assets, physical activity frequency, and demographic factors. Data were entered and analyzed utilizing SPSS v22.

Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in the following developmental assets: a) competence (p=.001); b) confidence (p<.001); and, c) connectedness (p=.001) as well as overall positive youth development (p<.001) and physical activity frequency (p<.001).

Conclusion: Findings from the current study provide preliminary data supporting the ability of sport-based positive youth development programs in increasing physical activity among young girls, which warrants further conceptualization and investigation.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the positive youth development through sport (PYDS) conceptual framework. List the PYDS developmental outcomes. Discuss preliminary findings from the Girls on the Run program assessment as they pertain to physical activity among girls.

Keyword(s): Children and Adolescents, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a 3rd year doctoral student with advanced statistic and evaluation training. I have been working with the project that will be presented for 3 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4182.0: Behavioral Science/ Health Education Poster Session #2