Patterns of physical activity parenting practices among parent-adolescent dyads who participated in a cross-sectional internet-based study

Jessica L Thomson,Alicia S Landry,Tameka I Walls

doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11354-y

Abstract

BackgroundWhile research exploring relationships between individual parenting practices and child physical activity (PA) exists, little is known about simultaneous use of practices. Hence, study objectives were to determine patterns of PA parenting practices and their associations with demographic, anthropometric, and PA measures in a large sample of parents and their adolescent children (12–17 years).MethodsDyadic survey data from Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE), a cross-sectional, internet-based study, conducted in 2014 were analyzed using latent class analysis on 5 PA parenting practices – pressuring, guided choice, expectations, facilitation, and modeling. Self-report model covariates included adolescent age and parent and adolescent sex, body mass index category (based on height and weight), legitimacy of parental authority regarding PA (PA-LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA).ResultsBased on 1166 parent-adolescent dyads, four latent classes were identified representing a continuum of practice use (high to low) – Complete Influencers (26%), Facilitating-Modeling Influencers (23%), Pressuring-Expecting Influencers (25%), and Indifferent Influencers (27%). Compared to dyads with parent underweight/healthy weight, dyads with parent overweight/obesity had 84% higher odds of belonging to Indifferent Influencers. Compared to dyads with adolescent underweight/healthy weight, dyads with adolescent overweight/obesity had 50 and 46% lower odds of belonging to Facilitating-Modeling and Indifferent Influencers. Odds of belonging to Pressuring-Expecting and Indifferent Influencers were less than 1% lower for every 1 min/day increase in parent MVPA and 2 and 4% lower for every 1 min/day increase in adolescent MVPA. Compared to dyads with high parental and adolescent agreement with PA-LPA, dyads with low agreement had between 3 and 21 times the odds of belonging to Facilitating-Modeling, Pressuring-Expecting, or Indifferent Influencers.ConclusionsFindings suggest that parents utilize distinct patterns of PA practices ranging from use of many, use of some, to low use of any practice and these patterns are differentially associated with parent and adolescent PA. When planning PA interventions, a counseling or intervening approach with parents to use combinations of practices, like facilitation and modeling, to positively influence their adolescents’ and possibly their own participation in PA may prove more efficacious than parental pressuring or lack of practice use.

Highlights

While research exploring relationships between individual parenting practices and child physical activity (PA) exists, little is known about simultaneous use of practices
Findings suggest that parents utilize distinct patterns of PA practices ranging from use of many, use of some, to low use of any practice and these patterns are differentially associated with parent and adolescent PA
When planning PA interventions, a counseling or intervening approach with parents to use combinations of practices, like facilitation and modeling, to positively influence their adolescents’ and possibly their own participation in PA may prove more efficacious than parental pressuring or lack of practice use

Summary

Introduction

While research exploring relationships between individual parenting practices and child physical activity (PA) exists, little is known about simultaneous use of practices. Efforts are needed to increase PA levels of US adolescents to reduce their risk for chronic diseases and positively impact the nation’s health. Parents can influence their children’s PA behaviors through the practices they use to support, encourage, and promote engagement in PA [3]. Lack of accordance in identifying dimensions of and operationalizing PA parenting practices may be partly to blame for inconclusive findings [4] To address these issues, Mâsse and colleagues proposed a content map that includes three overarching, higher order PA parenting practice domains – neglect/control, autonomy support, and structure [4]. Autonomy support and structure practices are generally associated with positive PA outcomes in children [6, 7], while neglect/control practices are associated with negative outcomes [7]

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