From enjoyment to physical activity or from physical activity to enjoyment? Longitudinal associations in parent–child dyads

Abstract

Background: This longitudinal dyadic study used cross-lagged analyses to examine reciprocal patterns of associations between physical activity (PA) enjoyment and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) among children and their parents.

Methods: At Time 1 (T1) 879 parent–child dyads provided their data. The follow-up (Time 2, T2) took place 7–8-months later. MVPA and PA enjoyment scales were filled out separately by parents and children at T1 and T2.

Findings: Child PA enjoyment (T1) predicted a higher level of child MVPA (T2), parental PA enjoyment (T1) explained a higher level of parental MVPA (T2), and parental MVPA (T1) predicted a higher level of parental PA enjoyment (T2). Furthermore, child PA enjoyment (T1) predicted a higher level of parental PA enjoyment (T2).

Conclusions: Child PA enjoyment was the key variable predicting child and parental outcomes. In particular, it explained child MVPA, but also PA enjoyment among parents.

Keywords:

• Children
• cross-lagged analysis
• dyads
• enjoyment
• moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
• parents

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by grant no. NN 106012240 awarded to Aleksandra Luszczynska by the National Science Centre, Poland. Contribution of Magdalena Kruk was supported by grant no. BST/Wroc/2017/B/09 awarded by Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland; contribution of Monika Boberska was supported by grant no. BST/Wroc/2017/B/03 awarded by Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland.