The Exergame Roles in Physical Activity Adherence among Pre-Service Teachers: A Follow-Up Study

Abstract

This study is designed to determine students’ use of exergame and physical activity (PA) adherence levels using the PA Adherence Questionnaire. Specifically, this study focuses on the exergame’s role in promoting higher PA levels among participants. Additionally, this study would also attempt to identify the main factors in exergame that influence PA adherence as well as using several modifiable factors to propose practical strategies to improve and maintain lifetime PA. This follow-up study involves a quantitative approach with the same students in the initial study (i.e., 33 participants, mix-genders with an age range between 20-25 years old) comprising undergraduate-level physical and health education (PHE), biology, and chemistry students at a local university in central peninsular Malaysia. The researcher used a questionnaire as the instrument to evaluate this follow-up study. Furthermore, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (version 28.0) was utilised to analyse the variables in this study. The majority of participants fall into the “adherence possible” with the minority falling into the “adherence likely” categories in the PA adherence ratings. Specifically, participants tend to associate exergame with space and freedom when engaging in PA. Although social support values were generally high, receiving support from the lecturers was rated the highest followed by friends and family respectively. Nonetheless, knowledge, skills, and self-esteem were interdependent factors which could also determine the likelihood of PA adherence.