A dyadic analysis on source discrepancy and a mediation analysis via self-efficacy in the parental support and physical activity relationship among black girls

Maureen McEvoy Black; Yan Wang; Erin R Hager; Laurence S Magder; Raquel Arbaiza; Samantha Wilkes; Maureen McEvoy Black

A dyadic analysis on source discrepancy and a mediation analysis via self-efficacy in the parental support and physical activity relationship among black girls

Wang, Y., Hager, E. R., Magder, L. S., Arbaiza, R., Wilkes, S., & Black, M. M. (2019). A dyadic analysis on source discrepancy and a mediation analysis via self-efficacy in the parental support and physical activity relationship among black girls. Childhood Obesity, 15(2), 123-130. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2018.0123

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) declines in adolescence among black girls. This study assesses how moderate/vigorous physical activity (MVPA) relates to caregiver- vs. adolescent-reported parental support and whether the relationship is mediated by self-efficacy.

METHODS: MVPA was assessed through accelerometry. Parental support and encouragement on adolescents' PA were reported by caregivers and adolescents with a 10-item Social Support and Exercise Survey. Adolescent-reported self-efficacy related to PA was assessed with an 8-item scale. Structural equation modeling assessed source variation (caregiver vs. adolescent report) in the relationship between parental support and MVPA and mediation through adolescent self-efficacy.

RESULTS: The sample includes black adolescent girls (n = 272), with mean age of 11.6 years (standard deviation = 0.7), and average MVPA/day of 40.6 minutes. Caregiver/adolescent agreement on parental support was low (weighted Kappa <0.20). There was significant source variation in the parental support-MVPA relationship (Wald χ2 = 4.18, df = 1, p = 0.041); adolescent-reported support was related to MVPA (b = 0.40, standard error = 0.14, p = 0.003) and mediated through self-efficacy (95% bootstrapped confidence interval: 0.05-0.29). Caregiver-reported support or BMI z-score was not related to MVPA.

CONCLUSIONS: The association between MVPA and adolescent-reported parental support among black adolescent girls is explained by positive self-efficacy. Findings suggest that effective adolescent/caregiver communication around parental support on PA relates to high adolescent self-efficacy and supports objectively measured PA. Additional research is merited to examine longitudinal patterns. Furthermore, although 51.5% of girls in the sample were overweight or obese, the lack of association between MVPA and body composition minimizes its implication for mitigating obesity among overweight/obese black adolescent girls.