Abstract
PURPOSE: According to Transtheoretical Model (TTM, Prochaska & Marcus, 1994), processes of change (POC) are strategies that people use to change or improve their physical activity (PA) level, such as enlisting social support or setting a goal for exercise. Improving POC is a key part in PA intervention, because improved POC will eventually result in improvement in PA participation according to TTM. This study examined whether PA classes could improve students’ POC. METHODS: Participants were 279 students (mean age: 20.94 ± 1.44; 113 females) who enrolled in PA classes in a university in the US. The PA course contained a portion of lectures addressing benefits and strategies of PA engagement. The POC survey (Marcus & Forsyth, 2003) was administered to participants at the beginning and the end of a semester with a 15-week interval. There were 10 POC variables stemmed from the survey: increasing PA-related knowledge, being aware of risks, caring about consequences to others, comprehending benefits, increasing healthy opportunities, substituting alternatives, enlisting social support, rewarding oneself, committing oneself, and reminding oneself. The score for each POC variable ranged from 1 to 5, with larger scores indicating more positive results. The data at the two test points were compared with paired-samples t test. RESULTS: The paired-samples t test yielded significant improvements (p values ranged from .000 to .020) in five POC variables: being aware of risks, pretest 2.55 ± 1.09 vs. posttest 2.85 ± 1.18; caring about consequences to others, 3.08 ± .89 vs. 3.24 ± 1.01; increasing healthy opportunities, 3.09 ± .94 vs. 3.25 ± .98; enlisting social support, 3.23 ± 1.03 vs. 3.35 ± 1.10; and reminding oneself for PA, 2.78 ± .98 vs. 2.92 ± 1.03. While most of the other five POC variables also improved, the improvements were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: PA classes containing lectures addressing benefits and strategies of PA participation can significantly improve five out of the 10 POCs among university students. Based on TTM, the improved POC may eventually result in improvement in PA participation in the near future.
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