Physical Educators’ Habitual Physical Activity and Self-Efficacy for Regular Exercise

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine physical education teachers’ habitual physical activity and self-efficacy for regular exercise. In-service physical education teachers (N = 168) voluntarily completed an online questionnaire that included items to collect demographic information (gender, race/ethnicity, years of teaching experience, and perceived weight status), self-efficacy, and habitual physical activity. The physical educators reported a high level of physical activity with an estimated total weekly MET-minutes > 3,000, and a relatively high self-efficacy for exercise. A multiple regression analysis showed years of teaching experience as a significant negative predictor (? = -.35, p < .05), but self-efficacy as a positive predictor (? = .39, p < .05) for physical educators’ daily moderate to vigorous physical activity. These findings illustrate the positive role of self-efficacy for promoting physical activity participation, but indicate diminishing physical activity as a function of years of teaching experience among physical educators.Subscribe to TPE