Development of Cross-Culturally Informed Leisure-Time Physical Activity Constraint and Constraint Negotiation Typologies: The Case of Japanese and Euro-Canadian Adults

Abstract

ABSTRACT Our study purposes were twofold: to inductively develop cross-culturally informed leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) constraint and constraint negotiation typologies and to investigate cultural similarities and differences in LTPA constraints and constraint negotiation using both the newly developed typologies and conventional Western typologies. Useable data were obtained from 211 Euro-Canadians and 183 Japanese using online surveys. A thematic analysis identified nine constraint categories (psychological, physiological and physical fitness, lifestyle, interpersonal, financial, time, commitment, environmental, and LTPA-specific) and nine constraint negotiation strategies (psychological, physiological and physical fitness, lifestyle, interpersonal, financial, time, and three LTPA-specific: modification, management, and self-adaptation). Multivariate analysis of covariance identified no cultural differences when the conventional typologies were analyzed. However, when the culturally informed typologies were similarly analyzed, compared to Japanese, Euro-Canadians reported (a) time constraints more and LTPA-specific constraints less and (b) financial and time negotiation strategies more and the LTPA-specific (i.e., management) negotiation strategies less.