Relationships among Children's Attitudes, Involvement, and Proficiency in Physical Activities

Abstract

Abstract The subjects were 127 boys and 137 girls in grades 4, 5, and 6. Data were collected representing their attitudes toward physical activity, degree of primary involvement in various forms of physical activity, and level of performance in running, jumping, and throwing. Canonical correlation analysis was utilized to examine the nature and degree of the relationships among the children's attitudes, involvement, and proficiency in physical activities. The results suggested a strong relationship between the attitude domain and a combination of the involvement and performance domains; however, there was no common structure to account for the significant canonical relationship between these domains. Further analyses indicated that the basis of this association was the strength of the relationship between the attitude and involvement domains, and that the attitude and performance domains were virtually unrelated. Consideration is given to theoretical and practical implications of these findings.