Jewish Day-Schooled Adolescents' Perceptions of Parental and Environmental Support of Physical Activity

Abstract

Few studies of religiosity and physical activity (PA) correlates have been conducted; thus, a cross-sectional survey of 367 more and less religious Jewish adolescents' (M age = 12.8 years, SD = 0.9) perceptions of parental and environmental support of PA was conducted at religious day schools in two large American cities. Maternal Support, Environmental Support, and Paternal Non-Support factors were verified through confirmatory factor analysis. Factor scores were analyzed through a 2 x 2 (gender x religiosity level) multivariate analysis of variance. A significant main effect for religiosity was obtained (F = 6.93, p < .001); however, a main effect for gender and an interaction effect were not. Post hoc discriminant analysis revealed Paternal Non-Support and Environmental Support factors as differentiating more and less religious adolescents.

Key words:

• comparative study
• correlates
• cross-sectional
• survey
• religion

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David Kahan

Please address all correspondence concerning this article to David Kahan, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-7251.