Comparison of Social Variables for Understanding Physical Activity in Adolescent Girls

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate social support and theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs in explaining physical activity in adolescent girls. METHODS: One thousand seven hundred ninety-seven 8th-grade girls completed a survey measuring social provisions, family support, TPB constructs, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and team sport involvement (TSI). RESULTS: Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated statistically significant direct effects from TPB constructs and social provisions to intention; social provisions, family support, and intention to MVPA; and social provisions and family support to TSI. CONCLUSIONS: Social variables play a greater role in explaining TSI than in explaining MVPA in this sample.