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Table 7 Studies and effect sizes for parental support and girls’ physical activity moderated by parental gender (k = 13)

From: Parental correlates in child and adolescent physical activity: a meta-analysis

Study, country

Sample (number, gender, mean age)

Design

Parental support measure

Child physical activity measure

Results

Corrected effect size

Beets et al. (2007) [142] USA

N = 259

CS

Child report

Child self-report

Girls’ MVPA & paternal support: β = −.09

-.11

All female

Parental support – aggregated measure (encouragement, co-activity, transportation, watch, praise)

.70*

Girls’ MVPA & maternal support: β = .25

.32

15.5 yrs

Mother α = .85

Father α = .91

Brunet et al. (2014) [143] Canada

N = 558

CS

Child report

Accelerometer (7 d)

Girls’ MVPA & paternal support: r = .24, p < .001 (normal weight)

.28

306 m, 252 f

Parental support – aggregated measure (co-activity, watch, transportation, encouragement, inform)

.80*

Girls’ MVPA & paternal support: r = .20

.19

9.6 yrs

α = .77

Mean r = .22

Girls’ MVPA & maternal support: r = .10

ICC = .81

Girls’ MVPA & maternal support: r = .20 (normal weight)

Mean r = .15

Butcher et al. (1983) [144] Canada

N = 696

CS

Self-report

Child self-report

Girls’ PA & maternal support: r = .21

.30

All female

Parental support

.70*

11.0-16.0 yrs

.70*

Butcher (1985) [145] Canada

N = 140

PRO

Child report

Child self-report

Girls’ PA (structured PA outside of school) & paternal support: r = .36, p < .01

.51

All female

(5 yrs)

Parental support

.70*

Girls’ PA (structured PA outside of school) & maternal support: r = .27, p < .01

.39

Followed from age 11.0 to 15.0 yrs

.70*

Davison et al. (2003) [94] USA

N = 180

CS

Parent report

Child self-report

Girls’ PA & paternal

.19

All females

 

Logistic support

PA measure a composite score of CPA-short, an activity checklist, & PACER

logistic support: r = .14

.28

9.0 yrs

Mother α = .61

.70*

Girls’ PA & maternal logistic support: r = .18, p < .05

Father α = .74

Hinkley et al. (2012) [100] Australia

N = 705

CS

Parent report

Accelerometer (8 d)

Girls’ PA & paternal logistic support: OR = 1.01, 95% CI .99-1.03

.01

366 m, 262 f

Logistic support .70*

.80*

4.5 yrs

Kirby et al. (2011) [146] UK

N = 641

PRO (5 yrs)

Child report

Child report

Girls’ PA & paternal support (yr 1): OR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.13-3.60 (p < .05)

.34

313 m, 328 f

Parental support – aggregated measure (encouragement, transportation, watch, co-activity, praise)

PAQ-C

Girls’ PA & paternal support (yr 3): OR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.32-3.70 (p < .05)

.37

Followed from age

.70*

.70*

Girls’ PA & paternal support (yr 5): OR = 1.98, 95% CI 1.06-3.71 (p < .05)

11-15 yrs

Mean r = .24

 

Girls’ PA & maternal support (yr 1): OR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.41-4.50 (p < .05)

Girls’ PA & maternal support (yr 3): OR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.32-3.70 (p < .05)

Girls’ PA & maternal support (yr 5): OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 0.54-3.58

Mean r = .26

Raudsepp (2006) [110] Estonia

N = 329

CS

Parent report

7DPAR

Girls’ MVPA & fathers’ logistic support: r = .32, p < .010

.43

168 m, 161 f

Parental logistic support –aggregated measure (enrollment, financial support, transportation)

.70*

Girls’ MVPA & mothers’ logistic support: r = .22, p < .01

.32

13.8 yrs

Father α = .78

Mother α = .68

Stucky-Ropp & DiLorenzo (1993) [147] USA

N = 242

CS

Parent report

Child self-reported

Girls’ PA & maternal support: r = .32

.46

121 m, 121 f

Parental support – aggregated measure (encouragement, offers to exercise with child)

.70*

11.2 yrs

.70* (all respondents mothers)

  1. Note. *reliability not reported; 7DPAR = 7-day physical activity recall; CS = cross-sectional; d = days; f = females; m = males; MVPA = moderate to vigorous physical activity; PA = physical activity; PAQ-C = Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children; PRO = prospective.