Reciprocal effects model of Children's physical activity, physical self-concept, and enjoyment

Objectives: Physical self-concept and physical activity enjoyment represent important determinants for promoting physical activity (PA), especially in children. Promoting PA in children can help develop lifelong healthy behaviors. Therefore, this study investigated Marsh's reciprocal effects model of physical self-concept. Design: This study used a half-longitudinal design with two groups (boys and girls). Method: Children in grade 5 (N = 628) from six elementary schools in the Midwestern United States completed surveys on physical self-concept, PA enjoyment, and self-reported PA at the beginning and end of one school year (i.e., 8-month interval). Data were analyzed using multi-group structural equation modeling with the CLUSTER option to account for the natural nesting of students within classrooms. Results: Findings did not support the reciprocal effects model of physical self-concept and PA enjoyment as hypothesized. Rather findings revealed a less defined pattern of self-enhancing and skill-developing relationships. The only skill development relation occurred between PA and future physical self-concept while the only self-enhancement relation occurred between sport self-concept and future PA. PA enjoyment predicted future sport self-concept and coordination self-concept predicted future PA enjoyment. Conclusions: The temporal interplay between children's physical self-concept and its facets, PA enjoyment, and PA may be more complex than hypothesized in reciprocal effects models. Based on our findings, it appears that sport self-concept may be especially important for children's PA enjoyment and PA. Finally, more precise measurement of PA including its type (e.g., stretching) in future research may produce stronger links with aligning physical self-concept facets (e.g., flexibility).