A Qualitative Exploration of the “Critical Window”: Factors Affecting Australian Children’s After-School Physical Activity
Male
Adolescent
school
after
Environment
exploration
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Social Environment
Education
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
affecting
children
Residence Characteristics
australian
South Australia
Humans
window
Child
physical
Exercise
Weather
Qualitative Research
critical
activity
4. Education
factors
380
Bullying
Focus Groups
Self Efficacy
qualitative
Female
Safety
DOI:
10.1123/jpah.10.1.33
Publication Date:
2016-08-10T12:05:17Z
AUTHORS (3)
ABSTRACT
Background:The after-school period is potentially a “critical window” for promoting physical activity in children. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore children’s perceptions of the factors influencing their engagement in physical activity during the after-school period as the first phase in the development of a questionnaire.Methods:Fifty-four South Australian children age 10−13 years participated in same gender focus groups. Transcripts, field notes, and activity documents were analyzed using content analysis. Through an inductive thematic approach, data were coded and categorized into perceived barriers and facilitators according to a social ecological model.Results:Children identified a number of factors, including safety in the neighborhood and home settings, distance to and from places, weather, availability of time, perceived competence, enjoyment of physical activity, peer influence, and parent influence. New insights into bullying and teasing by peers and fear of dangerous animals and objects were revealed by the children.Conclusions:In this study, hearing children’s voices allowed the emergence of factors which may not be exposed using existing surveys. These findings are grounded in children’s perceptions and therefore serve as a valuable contribution to the existing literature, potentially leading to improved intervention and questionnaire design.
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