Psychometric characteristics of the physical education activities scale

Measuring adolescent perceptions of physical education (PE) activities is necessary in understanding determinants of school PE activity participation. The purpose of this study was to test initial estimates of reliability and validity of a new scale assessing high school adolescent perceptions of school PE activity with the Physical Education Activities Scale (PEAS). The 41-item visual analog scale consisted of 6 subscales: Self-Efficacy, PE Enjoyment, Personal Factors Influencing PE Participation, Behavioral Control, Barriers, and Subjective Norms that were tested on a sample (N = 90) interurban high school adolescents Grades 9-12. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the total PEAS was α = .89, and for the subscales a ranged from .57-.81. Using known-groups analysis with male vs. female data, initial estimates of construct validity were supported with t tests for the total scale showing boys scoring significantly higher than girls for the total scale (t = -3.26, df = 88, p = .002) and for = of the 6 subscales: Self-Efficacy (t = -2.65, df = 88, p = .01); PE Enjoyment (t = -3.05, df = 88, p = .003); Personal Factors Influencing PE Participation (t = -2.66, df = 88, p = .009); Behavioral Control (t = -2.20, df = 88, p = .03), and Barriers (t = -3.41, df = 88, p = .001). There was not a gender difference for the subjective norms subscale. Evidence indicated that the PEAS was sensitive enough to distinguish between female and male perceptions in the expected direction on factors that influence PE activity participation. The PEAS demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity evidence in measuring adolescents' perception of school PE activities. Keywords: adolescents; reliability; validity; physical education; school PE activity participation Adolescent obesity is a national epidemic and decreased physical activity is a major contributing factor. Nationally, 69% of high school students in 2007 did not attend physical education (PE) classes on a daily basis because of psychosocial and environmental factors. Since 2005, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity that raises heart rate and makes the participant breathe hard-at least = days a week for 60 minutes a day-has been recommended for adolescents (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2005). In 2007, only 30.3% of adolescents nationwide participated in school PE classes = days a week, and only 34.7% met currently recommended physical activity levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2008). Although determinants to participating in school PE activities have not been clearly established, a growing body of literature provides support that affective variables such as perceptions of self-efficacy, PE enjoyment, personal factors, behavioral control, barriers, and social norms are related to adolescents' participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity provided by school PE classes (Allison et al., 2005; Allison, Dwyer, & Makin, 1999; Birtwistle & Brodie, 1991; Brunton et al., 2003; Derry, 2002; Dishman, Motl, Saunders, et al., 2005; Dwyer et al., 2006; Neumark-Sztainer, Story, Hannan, Tharp, & Rex, 2003; Olafson, 2002; Sallis, Prochaska, & Taylor, 2000). Instruments measuring adolescents' views about school PE activities are limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to pilot test the psychometric properties of the Physical Education Activities Scale (PEAS) developed for male and female high school adolescents. BACKGROUND AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Schools as a Basis for Addressing Adolescent Physical Inactivity In the United States, addressing adolescent overweight and obesity has become a priority. Schools can help combat this epidemic in this young population. The school environment has been identified as an important setting for PA because most adolescents attend and spend the majority of their day in school (Flynn et al., 2006; Johnston, Delva, & O'Malley, 2007), and for some adolescents, it represents the only opportunity for engagement in daily physical activity (Gordon-Larsen, McMurray, & Popkin, 2000). …