Development and validation of the attitudes toward outdoor play scales for children

Abstract

The natural world has long been associated with health and described as a therapeutic landscape, and a growing body of research demonstrates the benefits of interacting with nature for mental and physical health. However, concern is growing that children have lost connection to the natural world and spend less time outdoors, despite the known health benefits of doing so. It is likely that healthy behaviors related to engagement with nature are mediated by beliefs about the value and safety of play in nature. While the literature abounds with qualitative examinations of children’s attitudes toward outdoor play, there exist few instruments to quantitatively measure these attitudes. Informed by health behavior change theories, we describe the development and validation of the Attitudes toward Outdoor Play (ATOP) scales. As part of a community-academic partnership project called More Than a Pretty Place, the development of the ATOP scales unfolded in stages: (1) item generation based on a comprehensive literature review and consensus among the project team, (2) interviews with environmental educators, (3) initial pilot testing, (4) scale refinement, (5) administration during 2012 and 2013 to a sample of school children ages 9–13 (n=362) in Milwaukee, WI, USA, and (6) quantitative psychometric evaluation. Two distinct scales emerged: ATOP-benefits (alpha=.79) and ATOP-fears (alpha=.79). Validity analyses found that both scales correlated as expected with measures of engagement in outdoor play, parental support for outdoor play, and sedentary behaviors. The ATOP scales are reliable and valid instruments for measuring attitudes toward outdoor play that may mediate children’s outdoor activity in natural settings. The ATOP scales could be a useful for evaluating the effects of programming, such as environmental education programming, on improving children’s attitudes toward the benefits of nature and reducing their fears, and may predict more distal outcomes including engagement in outdoor activity.

Sociocultural influences of parents on body dissatisfaction in adolescents

“…According to the study 18 , influence of the mother has a greater impact on the development of body image among adolescents. Findings 19 turn the attention to the fact that parents evaluate their daughters more critically than their sons in adolescent age, which could be explained by greater pressure of female children to accept the sociocultural ideal of thinness against their will. Also, according to research 20 , mothers and fathers give infrequent positive feedback about the physical appearance of their daughters.…”

Permainan Outdoor dalam Membentuk Kemampuan Ketahanmalangan pada Anak Usia Dini

“…Dalam melakukan kegiatan permainan outdoor dapat memberikan anak kebebasan, kepetualangan, percaya diri dan kesempatan dalam memecahkan masalah yang termasuk kedalam dimensi kemampuan ketahanmalangan. Selanjutnya, melalui kegiatan permainan outdoor akan dapat mengurangi rasa takut pada anak (Beyer et al, 2015). Selain itu, melalui permainan outdoor menjadikan anak menjadi individu yang dapat mengontrol emosi pada dirinya dan menjadikan anak menjadi anak yang berpikir kreatif untuk mencoba hal baru yang terdapat dalam kegiatan (Shi, 2017).…”

Application of the Human Well-Being Index to Sensitive Population Divisions: a Children’s Well-Being Index Development

“…Most of their programs involve outdoor activities and are based on a strong connection to natural ecosystems, making investment and participation in this program a strong measure of a community's interest in the natural environment for children. Exposure to nature, or even just urban green space is important to mental and physical health, particularly for children in urban environments, (Chawla 2015;Beyer et al 2015;Herrington and Brussoni 2015;McGee and Marshall-Baker 2015;Mainella et al 2011).…”