Children’s exercise behavior: The moderating role of habit processes within the theory of planned behavior

PURPOSE: The moderating effect of exercise habit strength and specific habit processes within the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was tested in children. METHODS: Participants were primary school students (N = 380, mean age = 10.46 ± .52). The data were collected using self-report measures followed by one-mile run test performance. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: The findings revealed that 34, 57, and 9% of students could be classified as low, moderate, and high in PA, respectively. Path analysis for the overall model revealed significant path loadings (p = < .05), except for the attitude-intention path. Moderating effects results revealed that strong habit strength extinguished the effects of intention on PA. CONCLUSION: Habit strength has the potential to minimize the deliberate processes associated with intention to exercise, thereby increasing the probability of intention-behavior translation. For specific habit processes, only negative affect appears to moderate the relationships between the TPB variables.