"We Are an Active Family": Promoting Child Physical Activity Through Social Identity Formation in the Family System

University of Victoria148 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of our study is to explore the effectiveness of physical activity (PA) identity formation in the family system as a promotor of long-term PA. The primary research question is: Does a family identity formation condition (with education+planning) result in increased child moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) compared to a standard comparison education and planning condition at six months? Hypothesis: Child MVPA will be higher for the identity formation condition in comparison to the more standard PA education+planning condition at six months.

The secondary research questions will include: 1. Does the identity formation condition improve child health-related fitness outcomes compared to the education and planning condition at six months? Hypothesis: Child health-related fitness will be higher for the identity formation condition in comparison to the education and planning condition. 2. Can group differences among behavioural, and health-related fitness outcomes be explained through a mediation model? Hypothesis: The covariance of the assigned conditions (identity formation, planning + education) on child MVPA will be explained by parental support, and through parental support identity (i.e., manipulation check). In turn, the covariance between support and health-related outcomes will be explained by MVPA among conditions. In the case of null outcomes for research question #1, the investigators will instead explore a prediction model of these variables rather than a mediation model. 3. Is there an intergenerational, seasonal, or sex difference across primary outcomes by assigned condition? Hypothesis: Parents in the identity formation condition will show higher physical activity via some activities being performed with their children (as part of social identity) in comparison to the other condition. No differences in child sex or season are hypothesized based on past research.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Interventions

Social IdentityBEHAVIORAL

This group will receive the same content as the education+planning as well as two additional sessions. This includes short overviews of the benefits of PA as a family, brainstorming how a family can each assist each other in PA, and an activity for developing a family PA action plan. Behavior change techniques such as identity salience, identity similarity, and identity fit and contrast are included in the coaching session include. This will be supplemented by an organization of fun family PA roles for all members (e.g., activity planner, goal setter, supporter, etc.) to instill involvement as well as items (creation of a family PA t-shirt, family PA photos and display, etc.) to instill distinctiveness, which is a central feature of a social identity. Worksheets and discussion will be included. The second session will involve only the parent(s) to focus on parental support identity and the content is based on the behavior change principles of self-identity theory.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 6 YearsMax age: 12 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Participants will be at least one parent with at least one child between the ages of 6 and 12 years. * Families (parents and/or guardians and children) residing in Greater Victoria, Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Duncan, Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby, British Columbia. * Children that participate in \<60 minutes/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) Exclusion Criteria: * If child is meeting the current physical activity guidelines \>=60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. * If participant does not pass Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change from baseline in children's moderate to vigorous physical activity to 6 months

Children's physical activity will be quantified by accelerometry. Children will wear an accelerometer for a minimum of 6 hours per day for 7 days at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months.

Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months

Secondary Outcomes

Parent-child intergenerational activity via seven-day accelerometry

Accelerometer model has a Bluetooth proximity detection feature that can determine the presence (e.g., same room in a house, at the park together) or absence of close proximity between two accelerometers. The outcome variable will be average minutes per day parents and children were both engaging in physical activity at the same time while in close proximity.