A Study on Factors Influencing Exercise Intent and Behavior in Middle School Students

중학생의 운동의지 및 운동이행과 관련요인에 대한 분석연구

The purposes of this study are to identify the degree of exercise intent and behavior and to determine factors influencing exercise and behavior in middle school students. The subjects for this study were 658 middle school students in Chonbuk area. The data were obtained by questionaire for the period from Nov. 1 to Dec. 20, 1990. The instrument used for the study were included 6 existing scales and 2 scales developed by the researcher for this study. They are: 1) The exercise intent scale to assess the exercise plan even when they had no longer physical education. 2) The current exercise behavior to measure of exercise frequency for 1 week. 3) The scale to measure the level of self -esteem. 4) The scale to measure the level of knowledge about exercise. 5) The scale to measure the level of the perceived ability to make commitment. 6) The scale to measure the level of the perceived benifit of exercise. 7) The scale to measure the level of the perceived athletic ability. 8) The scale to measure the level of the attitude toward physical education. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, one way ANOVA, Pearson Coeffecients Correlation and stepwise multiple regression. The following; results were obtained. 1. Exercise intent level was in the intermediate range(mean on five point scale of 3.66, with 1 = definitely no). 2. The current exercise behavior level was relatively low(mean=1.77, with l=less than once per week and 4 = 4 or more times per week). 3. Self -esteem levels were in the intermediate range(mean on five point scale of 2.96, a mean of 5.0 indicate highest level of self-esteem.) 4. The levels of perceived ability to make commitments were in the intermediate range(mean=3.05, with 5.0 as most able). 5. The levels of perceived exercise as benificial were relatively high(mean=3.72, with 5.0 as most benificial). 6. Knowledge levels about exercise were realatively high(mean=3.97, with 5.0 as most knowledgeable). 7. The levels of perceived athletic ability were in intermediate range(mean=3.01, with 5.0 as highest score). 8. The levels of attitudes toward physical education were in the intermediate range(mean=3.29, with 5.0 as most favorable). 9. Among the general characteristic variables, sex, interest sports activities were related to the difference of exercise intent levels. 10. Of the predictor variables analyzed, self - esteem, perceived benifit of exercise, perceived athletic ability, knowledge about exercise and attitude about physical education correlated significantly and positively with exercise intent. Correlations of predictors with current exercise behavior were similiar to exercise intent, exept knowledge about exercise. 11. The stepwise multiple regression analysis shows findings as follows: 1) The most important factor to explain the difference of exercise intent was current exercise behavior. 2) The most improtant factor to explain the difference of current exercise behavior was perceived athletic ability.