Attitudinal, Behavioral, and Environmental Correlates of Child and Parent Self-Efficacy in Walking to School. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • As a critical social cognitive construct, self-efficacy plays a determinant role in children's walking to school (WTS). However, little is known about factors that are underlying children's and parents' self-efficacy in WTS. The purpose of this study is to examine behavioral, attitudinal, and environmental correlates of child self-efficacy and parent self-efficacy in WTS, and to assess differences in the correlates of child versus parent self-efficacy. Data were collected from students (N = 1224) and parents (N = 1205) from 81 elementary schools across Texas in 2009-2012. Binary logistic regressions were conducted to identify significant factors that are associated with children's self-efficacy and parents' self-efficacy. Results from this study showed that the parent self-efficacy was more likely to be related to their own behaviors or attitudes, rather than the environmental factors or their child's input. The child self-efficacy, however, was influenced not only by their own and parental behaviors or attitudes, but also by environmental factors. This study suggests that both parental and child self-efficacy are important factors to be considered when making decisions about school transportation.

published proceedings

  • Int J Environ Res Public Health

altmetric score

  • 1.5

author list (cited authors)

  • Kim, Y., Lee, C., Lu, W., & Mendoza, J. A.

citation count

  • 2

complete list of authors

  • Kim, Young-Jae||Lee, Chanam||Lu, Wenhua||Mendoza, Jason A

publication date

  • January 2017

publisher