The Roles of Social Support and Physical Activity Participation among Western Australian Adolescents

The present study was undertaken to examine the roles of social supports on adolescents' involvement in out-of-school physical activities. 175 conveniently sampled middle high school students from three public schools in Western Australia participated in this study. Data were collected using self-report measures of physical activity (PA) duration, social support (modelling, instrumental, and motivational supports) and social support agents (mother, father, siblings, peers, and teachers). Using stepwise regression analysis, the results revealed that motivational and instrumental supports were significant predictors of the PA for the male and female adolescents, respectively. In terms of the roles of social agents, father was indicated as an influential agent of change for the male adolescents, while mother and peers were influential figures for the female adolescents' involvement in physical activity. The finding of this study reinforces the view that social support for PA may be best provided by the adolescents' same-sex parents. The finding also supports the notion that motivational and instrumental supports may be more effective in promoting male and female adolescent PA, respectively.