Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · May 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialSelf-efficacy partially mediates the effect of a school-based physical-activity intervention among adolescent girls.
This study evaluated the effects of the Lifestyle Education for Activity Program (LEAP), a comprehensive school-based intervention emphasizing changes in instruction and school environment, on variables derived from social-cognitive theory (SCT) as mediators of change in physical activity among black and white adolescent girls. ⋯ To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence from a randomized controlled trial that manipulation of self-efficacy results in increased physical activity among black and white adolescent girls. The results encourage the use of self-efficacy as a targeted, mediator variable in interventions designed to increase physical activity among girls.