The Feasibility and Acceptability of The Girls Peer Activity (G-PACT) Peer-led Mentoring Intervention.

Michael Owen,Sarah Taylor,Robert Noonan,Stuart Fairclough,Whitney Curry,Lisa Newson,Charlotte Kerner,Maria-Christina Kosteli

doi:10.3390/children5090128

Abstract

Enjoyment of physical activity (PA) is positively correlated with PA engagement. The inclusion of peers has been found to increase the likelihood of PA enjoyment in youth. Peer-led strategies, incorporating peer networks in the intervention delivery, is relatively underused and consequently understudied in school-based PA interventions. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the novel Girls Peer Activity (G-PACT) peer-led mentoring intervention. Two-hundred and forty-nine Year 9 adolescent girls (13–14 years old) from three mixed-sex secondary schools located in West Lancashire, North-West England were invited to participate in the G-PACT project. The study employed a novel approach by using a three-tier model, including (Tier 1) Mentors (undergraduate students), (Tier 2) Leaders (Year 9 girls selected by teachers), and (Tier 3) Peers (whole Year 9 cohort). Mentors delivered a series of educational and leadership training to the Leaders in each respective school who then disseminated this information to their Peers and encouraged them to engage in more physical activities. Eight focus groups were conducted with Leaders (n = 40), 28 focus groups with Peers (n = 185), two focus groups with Mentors (n = 6), and three interviews with teachers (n = 4). Thematic analysis was used to analyze the pooled data and identify the key themes. The study found that the G-PACT intervention was feasible and acceptable for adolescent PA Leaders and their Mentors. The relationship between Leaders and their Peers required refinement to improve the communication processes to increase Peer engagement in the G-PACT project.

Highlights

Physical activity (PA) enjoyment is positively correlated with physical activity (PA) engagement [1]
The Girls people to do more activity.” (Peer) Activity (G-PACT) project contained three distinct phases; phase one was an exploration study to assess the current school PA practices and the needs of adolescent girls, phase two was a quantitative assessment of the G-PACT intervention to assess the impact on girls’
The Choice school reported the highest percentage of Peers who had spoken to a PA leader

Summary

Introduction

Physical activity (PA) enjoyment is positively correlated with PA engagement [1]. Interventions aiming to increase moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) in children and young people, which included the recruitment of friends, have been found to increase enjoyment of MVPA [2]. Adolescents with physically active friends are more likely to be physically active and spend less time engaging in sedentary behaviors such as, TV viewing [2]. 5–17-year-old, only 9% of boys and 1.9% of girls achieved the recommended 60 min of MVPA [3]. In 2016, 22% of English children and young people (aged 5–15 years) met the recommended 60 min of MVPA guidelines [4]. Only 16% and 9% of girls aged 11–12 and 13–15 respectively met to the guidelines [4]. Adolescent girls in England have been highlighted as a group at risk to declining PA levels

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