Profiles and Vignettes of Adolescent Physical Activity to Promote Workable Participation Solutions

Abstract

This study examined how to achieve the recommended daily time, effort, and variety challenges for adolescents from the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (Department of Health and Human Services, 2018). Adolescents (n = 126) from an urban high school in a mid-western state of the United States participated in the study. In the quantitative phase of an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design, two composite measures of weight status-fitness and effort-involvement physical activity were developed and cross-tabulated to create nine lifestyle physical activity participation profiles. In the qualitative phase, qualitizing of survey data for each profile initiated comparative narratives that were qualitized into composite vignettes. The purpose of the vignettes was to highlight the types of challenges adolescents face as they meet or miss the daily physical activity recommendations. The vignettes provided alternative perspectives and approaches for workable and meaningful physical activity interventions. The discussion considered the effectiveness of the composite variables and potential workable solutions in universal physical education, inclusive of physical activity, and for agencies that advocate for the benefits of daily physical activity of those represented in the profiles and by the vignettes.