Assessing changes in attitudes toward physical activity and leisure activity participation patterns of college students after a personalized health fitness course

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether students' attitudes toward physical activity, body image, and leisure activity patterns changed after completion of a personalized health fitness course (PHEC 106). The method used to collect this data was the administration of a pretest, posttest, and second posttest survey instrument. Attitudes were measured by Kenyon's (1968a) Semantic Differential Attitude Toward Physical Activity and Body Image (ATPA-I) scales, and leisure activity patterns were assessed with McKechnie's (1974) Leisure Activity Blank (LAB).;For the pre to posttest data 245 students completed the survey instruments. However, the retention data (post-posttest) only included 100 students from the original population who returned the surveys. All analysis was performed using statistical procedures available in SPSSX.;There were six research questions posed and analyzed using frequency distribution, correlated t test comparisons, analysis of variance and chi-square. Some of the findings included the following: (a) After completion of the required personalized health fitness course, there was significant positive change in the study group's attitude toward physical activity. There was also positive change in the group's body image, but the change was not significant. (b) With this significant positive change in attitude towards physical activity, students participating in this study also experienced significant positive change in their past/present leisure recreation behavior. This course also had a significant positive effect on the study group's intended future involvement in leisure and recreation activities. (c) The number of fitness-related activities that the study group reported taking part in for the past and present increased significantly from the beginning to the end of the course. There was also a slight increase in the number of fitness-related activities that the group reported in which they intended to participate in the future, but this increase was not significant. (d) In many cases, gains in attitude towards physical activity, body image, and leisure and recreational behavior were not only retained but continued to increase three months after the completion of the course.