Physical activity and stages of change in infantile population: A study of convergent validity

The model of the states of change of Prochaska and DiClemente (1983, 1992) has been used of form generalized in the study of the adherence to the exercise in adult subjects and up to the date, this model has been applied in few investigations for the study of the infantile population. This study tries to verify in what measurement the evaluation of the adherence from this model is convergent with the evaluation from the self-reported of the physical activities. For it was asked for a sample of 345 subjects with ages between 10 and 13 years that self were located in one of the five propose stages by this one model and which they registered the time dedicated to different physical activities throughout one week. The results show that can be reached very different conclusions on the level from physical activity of the subjects depending on the instrument used for their evaluation. In summary, the collected data show to a little convergent validity between the self-reported of the activity on the part of the subjects and the evaluation by means of the stages proposed by the model of the states of change.