Gender Differences in Students' Perceptions of Environmental and Social Support for Participation in Physical Activities

The purpose of the present study is to determine gender differences in the perceptions of environmental and social support for participation of university students in physical activities. Hence, to carry out this causal-comparative research, 300 BSc students (162 females and 138 males with the age of 20.320.98 and 20.971.02, respectively) who were studying in the second semester of 2009-2010 in Al-Zahra University and the University of Tehran filled out the Perceived School Climate for Physical Activity Scale (Birnbaum et al., 2005), and Social Support for Physical Activity Scale (Grieser et al., 2008). The results of MANOVA and follow up tests showed that gender has no significant effect on students' perceptions of environmental support from professors (). Male students had a higher perception of their peers' support (). Also, there was no significant difference between male and female students' perceptions of social support from families (). Regarding social support from friends, the results were in favor of the male students (). The present research discusses gender differences in environmental and social support for increasing the participation of students in physical activities.