Exercise behaviour among Malaysian teacher trainees / Kee Kang Mea

Kee, Kang Mea (2013) Exercise behaviour among Malaysian teacher trainees / Kee Kang Mea. PhD thesis, University of Malaya.

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Abstract

Physical activity is an effective way for the prevention of diseases and serves as a cost-effective strategy to improve public health across the population. There are strong evidences linking increased regular physical activity with better health. It is evident that individuals who are able to maintain a regular routine of activity long enough or more vigorously in intensity are likely to benefit more and have less risk of death. Despite the recognized psychological, physical and social benefits of regular exercise, physical inactivity continues to be extensive. The proportions of the Malaysian population who participate in regular and sustainable physical activity remain significantly small. Teacher training plays a very important role in producing teachers that are high in physical activity and can be role models to their students. Hence, this study aimed to find out whether the lack of physical activity is also found among Malaysian teacher trainees. First, the characteristics associated with the different stages of exercise behaviour change of teacher trainees in Malaysia were examined. An integrative model was developed by combining personal psychological variables identified from the Transtheoretical Model (Self-efficacy, Decisional Balance, Processes of Change) with the Physical Self-Perception to examine its applicability to better understand exercise behaviour. Seven hundred and fifty four responses were collected from teacher trainees selected through cluster random sampling from eight Teacher Education Institutes. The hypothesized model of exercise behaviour was assessed using the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) statistical procedure. The measurement models that define the relations between the observed (indicator) variables and the unobserved (latent) variables were first assessed. The full structural model was tested only after all the measurement models underlying the structural model have been confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In the present study, it is found that slightly over one third (34.4%) of the teacher trainees were actively participating in physical activity, while slightly more than half (56.4%) of the participants were only moderately active in physical activity. Gender, age and ethnicity are some of the personal determinant factors on physical activity. However, gender and ethnicity (culture) seem to have greater impact in influencing physical activity than age in the current study. Male teacher trainees demonstrated a higher level of physical activity, weekly leisure time exercise score, self-efficacy, benefits of exercise (Pros), and higher usage of the processes of change. In term of ethnicity, there was no significant difference between the Malay and the Indian participants, but the Chinese participants have lower self-efficacy, low perceived benefits of exercise, and lower physical self-perception but have higher perceived costs for exercise when compared with the Malay and Indian participants. Hence, it can be surmised that ethnicity was an important factor in determining the exercise behaviour. The results of this study also demonstrated that Self-Efficacy, Perceived Benefits of Exercise, and Physical Self-Perceptions were indirectly related to physical activity being mediated by the Stages of Exercise Change. The only construct that influenced physical activity directly was the Processes of Change for Exercise. Among the implications of this study is that any intervention efforts should include emotions management so that their sense of self-efficacy to exercise is enhanced, while improving physical self-perception and exercise behaviour should be performed simultaneously. It is recommended that future research should also examine cultural differences in exercise behaviour and its interpretation at individual and societal levels.

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