Predictors of in‐school and out‐of‐school sport injury prevention: A test of the trans‐contextual model

Abstract

The current study aimed to predict secondary school students’ motivation toward sport injury prevention in “in‐school” and “out‐of‐school” contexts, and their sport injury prevention behavior at 3‐month follow‐up using the trans‐contextual model (TCM). Hong Kong secondary school students (N = 1566; mean age = 13.34 years, range = 11 to 19; female = 49.42%) were recruited. Participants were asked to complete a survey comprising previously validated scales measuring TCM constructs at baseline and a measure of sport injury prevention behavior at follow‐up three months later. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the hypothesized paths among TCM constructs. A SEM specifying hypothesized paths among TCM variables showed acceptable fit with the data (χ2(29) = 418.55, CFI = .93, TLI = .90, and RMSEA = .09, 90% CI [.09, .10], and SRMR = .05). Findings supported tenets of the TCM: the effects of perceived autonomy support from PE teachers on in‐school autonomous motivation toward injury prevention, the trans‐contextual relationship between students' “in‐school” and “out‐of‐school” autonomous motivation toward injury prevention, and the effects of autonomous motivation toward injury prevention on social cognitive variables and subsequent sport injury prevention behaviors. Results supported the tenets proposed within the TCM in predicting students' “in‐school” and “out‐of‐school” autonomous motivation toward sport injury prevention. Findings underscore the potential importance of autonomy support from PE teachers in facilitating students’ sport injury prevention behaviors. Further longitudinal and intervention research is warranted to establish temporal and causal effects of TCM variables in sport injury prevention.

Applying the trans‐contextual model to promote sport injury prevention behaviors among secondary school students

“…It is also worth noting that predicted relations among TCM model constructs were positive and statistically significant, consistent with previous studies 15,22,23,25 . Importantly, these effects used change scores which contrasts with the typical approach.…”

“…Furthermore, individuals’ perceived need support, that is, the extent to which individuals feel that significant others support their psychological needs, is an important factor determining autonomous motivation. The positive association between perceived need support from significant others and autonomous motivation has been consistently reported in previous studies 15,26,30,35,36 . Based on this tenet, PE teachers who teach sport injury prevention in a psychological need supportive manner would be expected to facilitate students’ perceived need support and autonomous motivation toward sport injury prevention behavior 12 .…”

“…Specifically, they spent 3.561 (SD = 2.908) hours on sport or physical activities every week and experienced 1.268 (SD = 3.376) sport injuries, defined as “injured during any sports” in the past 6 months on average. It is important to note that data from the control group in the current study were previously reported in a prospective study on the predictive validity used for analyzing the longitudinal relationships of the TCM over 3 months in a sport injury prevention context 15 . The previous study was correlational in design 15 and did not test hypotheses relating to the effects of changing the TCM variables through intervention on injury prevention behavior.…”

“…Yet, the application and maintenance of sport injury prevention behaviors may not occur in unsupervised sport contexts outside of the school environment (ie, unstructured and leisure‐time physical activities) 12,14 . Rather, PE teachers may contribute to facilitating students’ motivation to engage in sport injury preventive behaviors in out‐of‐school contexts 12,15 . In the current study, we developed and tested the effectiveness of an intervention based on an integrated social cognition and motivational model, the trans‐contextual model (TCM), 16‐18 to improve sports injury prevention behaviors in out‐of‐school contexts among secondary school students.…”

Healthy and Balanced Nutrition for Children through Physical Education Classes

“…Despite the importance that the Theory of Planned Behaviour may have in helping to understand the development and establishment of young people’s behaviors, we have no evidence of studies during the Primary Education stage, although we do have evidence of studies at the Secondary Education stage. In this regard, several studies have shown how the Theory of Planned Behaviour has been positively related to behaviors related to physical activity habits [ 27 , 28 , 29 ] and balanced eating habits [ 30 , 31 ] and negatively related to maladaptive habits, such as cigarette smoking [ 32 ].…”