Impact of Pedometer Use and Self-Regulation Strategies on Junior High School Physical Education Students’ Daily Step Counts

Abstract

Background:The aim of this study was to determine the impact of pedometer use and self-regulation strategies on adolescents’ daily physical activity.Methods:Junior high school students (n = 113) enrolled in seventh- and eighth-grade physical education classes (52 girls, 61 boys) volunteered to participate in a 5-week study to assess daily step counts. Ten physical education classes were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (a) self-regulation, (b) open, and (c) control.Results:A repeated-measures, mixed-model analysis of variance revealed a significant 3 × 4 (Group by Time) interaction effect, F6,290 = 2.64, P < .02. Follow-up analyses indicated participants in the self-regulation group took 2071 to 4141 more steps/d than the control. No other significant differences emerged among groups on step counts.Conclusions:It appears that having access to and charting daily step counts (ie, self-regulatory strategies) positively influenced young adolescents to attain a higher number of steps/d.

Is wearing a pedometer associated with higher physical activity among adolescents?

“…Viewing step counts was associated with more steps/day compared to a sealed control condition among a small number of young adolescents (Shimon and Petlichkoff, 2009) although this study did not use an objective measure to quantify PA. PA data were expressed as average counts per minute acting as adjustment for any differential wear time. Although the decline in accelerometer cpm over the four days of measurement is likely to be partly due to a drop in PA during weekends, the association remained when adjusted for weekday/weekend.…”

“…Graphing of step counts by young adolescents is associated with greater increases in step counts than when participants view (but do not graph) their step counts (Shimon and Petlichkoff, 2009). Research investigating the most effective way to utilise step count data to encourage behaviour change including refining different feedback methods and quantifying their effect on PA would be valuable (Watkinson et al, 2010).…”

“…A recent review examining self-monitoring using pedometers in PA promotion reported a positive association in 3 of the 5 studies among adolescents (Lubans et al, 2009); most included studies combining multiple behavior change strategies together with self-monitoring. Among a small number of young adolescents, viewing pedometer step counts was associated with more steps/day compared to a sealed condition (Shimon and Petlichkoff, 2009), although this study did not use an objective measure to quantify PA. To our knowledge, there is little evidence of how recording pedometer step counts among a large population-based sample of adolescents is associated with objective PA independent of other behavior change strategies.…”

Longitudinal relationships between perceived stress, exercise self-regulation and exercise involvement among physically active adolescents

“…Specifically, studies have shown that action planning (forming concrete action plans) is associated with increased levels of exercise in both healthy and clinical populations (Brickell et al, 2006;Dombrowski & Luszczynska, 2009;Milne et al, 2002;. For instance, Shimon and Petlichkoff (2009) found that among seventh-and eighth-grade physical education students in a 5-week pedometer study, those in the action planning group produced 2071 to 4141 more steps than those in the control group. Similarly, prior studies revealed that coping planning (anticipating and coping with behaviour obstacles) contributes to the maintenance of regular exercise involvement Ziegelmann & Lippke, 2007).…”

“…Arbour & Martin Ginis, 2009;Brickell, Chatzisarantis, & Pretty, 2006;Milne, Orbell, & Sheeran, 2002;Shimon & Petlichkoff, 2009). Nevertheless, whether or not the use of such types of exercise self-regulation can offset the negative impact of perceived stress on exercise behaviour remains obscure.…”