Lennart Raudsepp

Method effects: The problem with negatively versus positively keyed items

Using confirmatory factor analyses, we examined method effects on Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965) in a sample of older European adults. Nine hundred forty nine community-dwelling adults 60 years of age or older from 5 European countries completed the RSES as well as measures of depression and life satisfaction. The 2 models that had an acceptable fit with the data included method effects. The method effects were associated with both positively and negatively worded items. Method effects models were invariant across gender and age, but not across countries. Both depression and life satisfaction predicted method effects. Individuals with higher depression scores and lower life satisfaction scores were more likely to endorse negatively phrased items.

Relationship of perceived and actual motor competence in children.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between childrens actual and perceived motor competence. 280 children between the ages of 10 and 13 years individually completed the Childrens Physical Self-perception Profile which assesses perceptions of sport competence, physical conditioning, strength, body attractiveness, and general physical self-worth. The internal reliabilities (α) of the sub-scales ranged from .75 to .82. After completing the profile, the subjects actual motor competence was measured using tests of aerobic fitness and functional strength. Body fatness (sum of five skinfolds) was measured as an objective measure of perceived body attractiveness. Analysis of variance showed that boys and girls differed in perceived competence and actual motor competence. The boys showed higher perceived competence on four scores, but there was no sex difference in perception of body attractiveness. Correlations and regression analysis showed that actual and perceived motor competence were significantly but only moderately (r = .25–.56) correlated. In addition, items of perceived physical competence and age accounted for 17% (sit-ups) to 25% (endurance shuttle run) of the variance in actual motor competence of the children. These findings showed that 10- to 13-yr.-old children can only moderately assess personal motor competence.

Influence of Parents’ and Siblings’ Physical Activity on Activity Levels of Adolescents

The aim of this study was to examine parental and sibling influences on adolescents’ self‐reported levels of physical activity. 375 13‐14 year old adolescents and their biological parents and siblings were subjects of the study. Only multiple children families (adolescents with both brother and sister) were recruited to the study. The 7‐day physical activity recall was used to quantify the physical activity levels of the adolescents and their parents and siblings. Time spent in moderate (3‐5 METs), hard (5‐7 METs), very hard (7 or more METs) activity intensity categories and sleep (1 MET) was measured. Males’ physical activity was significantly related to fathers’ and brothers’ activity levels (r = 0.15‐0.37) whereas females’ activity was associated with both parental and siblings’ moderate intensity activity as well as with fathers’ total weekly physical activity (r = 0.17‐0.33). The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that for males 19% and for females 15% of the variance in physical activity was explained by the parental and sibling physical activity of different intensities. The findings generally support the notion that significant others do exert an influence on adolescents’ exercise behaviour.

Achievement goal orientations, beliefs about sport success and sport emotions as related to moderate to vigorous physical activity of adolescents

Abstract This study examined the relationships between achievement goals, beliefs about sport success and sport emotions with moderate to vigorous physical activity of Estonian adolescents. Three hundred and seventy five adolescents, aged 13–14 years, completed the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire and 7-day physical activity recall. Measures of the adolescents orientation to work avoidance, focus on cooperation, beliefs about the causes of success and degree of satisfaction/interest specific to the context of sport and games were also included. Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) quartiles were determined and psychological measures for extreme activity groups were compared. A one-way ANOVA indicated that active males scored significantly higher in task orientation, motivation/effort, ability and enjoyment/interest whereas active females showed higher scores for cooperation and exercise enjoyment and lower deception and boredom compared with low activity groups. Correlation analysis revealed that in males, MVPA was related with task orientation, reported ability and motivation/ effort. For females, cooperation, and enjoyment of sport were positively and the amount of boredom was negatively associated with MVPA scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed that psychological measures explained only 14% (females) and 19% (males) of the variance in MVPA. It is concluded that for adolescent males and females, different psychological measures predicted MVPA behavior.

Prediction of physical activity intention and behavior in a longitudinal sample of adolescent girls.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate a theory of planned behavior model for the prediction of physical activity in adolescent girls using a 1-yr. longitudinal design. A secondary purpose was to examine the moderating influence of intention stability and past behavior on intention-behavior relationships. Participants were 236 12- to 13-year-old adolescent girls who completed measures of the theory of planned behavior and physical activity participation (3-Day Physical Activity Recall) across a 1-yr. interval. The standard theoretical variables predicted intentions, as intention, past behavior, and perceived behavioral control predicted behavior. The temporal stability of intentions and past behavior moderated relationships between intention and behavior. An autoregressive path model showed that intention and perceived behavioral control predicted changes in physical activity and physical activity predicted changes in intention, affective attitude, and perceived behavioral control. This study supports the use of the theory of planned behavior in gaining an understanding of the physical activity intention and behavior of adolescent girls.

Changes in physical activity in adolescent girls: a latent growth modelling approach

Aim: To examine: (1) the developmental trajectory of physical activity as well the influence of body mass index (BMI) and friend support on initial physical activity and change of physical activity; and (2) the stability of physical activity in adolescent girls.

Relationship between low depressiveness and domain specific physical activity in women.

In this study we investigated how different domains of physical activity are associated with depressiveness among women, and how individual variables moderate this relationship. Participants were 956 women, and the data were collected by mail-out survey using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, and International Personality Item Pool. Lower depressiveness was related to higher leisure time physical activity and to lower occupational physical activity. Income, health problems, level of neuroticism, and extraversion had strong effects on depressiveness, and mediated the link between the leisure and occupational activities and depression.

Relationships of physical activity and somatic characteristics with physical fitness and motor skill in prepubertal girls

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between physical activity and somatic growth with motor skill and physical fitness in prepubertal girls. The subjects were 215, 7–10‐year‐old girls. Somatic characteristics included 15 dimensions. Physical fitness was assessed by the EUROFIT battery of 9 tests. Motor skill development was based on quantitative and qualitative assessment of the overhand throw. Physical activity was assessed by parental seven‐day physical activity recall for the child. Sum of five skinfolds was significantly negatively related with motor fitness after controlling for the effects of physical activity (r = −0.27 to −0.39). Somatic characteristics were not significantly related with fitness items and throwing stage after controlling for physical activity. Age‐specific partial correlations between physical activity, fitness items, quantitative, and qualitative characteristics of the overhand throw, were not significant. After controlling for body size and subcutaneous fatness, aerobic fitness was significantly related with physical activity of moderate to high intensity. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 9:513–521, 1997.

Relationship between various physical activity domains and self-perceived health and obesity in women.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between self-perceived health and obesity and recreational, occupational, commuting, and total physical activity in women. The sample included 956 Estonian women aged 18–50. Cross-sectional data were collected in the Estonian Women Physical Activity Study via a mail-out survey in 2008 using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and self-reported measures of health indicators. The associations between physical activity and health indicators were examined using multiple logistic regression and were adjusted for potential confounding factors (age, education, and income). The women in the highest occupational physical activity group were significantly less likely to have good health (OR 0.51; CI 0.33–0.77) compared to women with no occupational physical activity. A significant association was observed, however, between being in the highest recreational physical activity group and having better self-perceived health (OR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.36–3.21) and not being obese (BMI ≥ 30) (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.21–0.86). A higher total amount of physical activity was not related to better health status or obesity. These findings suggest that the specific domains of physical activity may be more important for self-perceived health and obesity among women than the total amount of physical activity.

Physical activity, aerobic fitness and fatness in preadolescent children

The relationships between aerobic fitness, physical activity, and body fatness were evaluated in a sample of 223 preadolescent children (119 boys, mean age 8.3 ±1.7 yrs; 104 girls, mean age 8.1 ± 1.9 yrs). Aerobic fitness was assessed by 20m shuttle test. Physical activity level was assessed using the seven‐day physical activity recall. The sum of five skinfolds was used as measure of body fatness. Moderate negative zero order correlation coefficients between aerobic fitness and fatness were obtained in boys (r = ‐0.39) and girls (r = ‐0.52). Controlling the effect of physical growth resulted in a significant inverse relationship between aerobic fitness and fatness. Moderate to vigorous physical activity score was significantly related with aerobic fitness in both boys and girls (r = 0.40 and 0.53, respectively). Analysis of data across fatness quartiles revealed a significant difference in aerobic fitness and in both total as well as moderate to vigorous physical activity where the leanest subject was si...