[[alternative]]An exercise behavior study for junior high school students in Pingtung county applying the Transtheoretical Model.

[[abstract]]The study was to understand the distribution of the stages of exercise behavior change and the related factors among junior high school students through applying the Transtheoretical Model. The subjects of this survey were selected from junior high school students in the Pingtung county by using the cluster sampling method, and the effective sample was 1,184 students. The data were collected with the self-reported questionnaires and were analyzed by Chi-square test, t-test, one-way ANOVA, one-way MANOVA, Scheffe’s post hoc test and Games-Howell post hoc test. The results of this research were as follows: 1.The distribution of the stages for exercise behavior took the most part in preparation (52.1%). Others were in maintenance (18.4%), action (12.4%), contemplation (10.0%), and the least part in Precontemplation (7.1%). 2.The subjects have significant differences in grade, gender, ethnicity, perceived health condition, exercise injury experiences, athletic team and athletic organization across the stages of behavior change. 3.The subjects that were younger grade students, boys, Hakka, perceived health condition very good, had exercise injury experiences, joined in the athletic team and took part in the athletic organization; they showed the higher exercise self-efficacy. 4.The subjects that were eighth grade, and native Taiwanese students, perceived health condition good, had exercise injury experiences, had class performance in the top 10, joined in the athletic team and took part in the athletic organization; they had the higher exercise benefits. 5.The subjects that were ninth grade students, girls, and general ethnicity,perceived health condition very bad, never had exercise injury experiences, never joined in the athletic team and never took part in the athletic organization; they represented the higher exercise barriers. 6.The subjects that were boys, and native Taiwanese students, perceived health condition very good, had exercise injury experiences, joined in the athletic team and took part in the athletic organization; they had the higher exercise social support. 7.The subjects in the different stages of exercise behavior had significant differences in the exercise self-efficacy, exercise benefits and exercise social support. Exercise self-efficacy, exercise benefits, and exercise social support scores increased at each level from the precontemplation through to the maintenance stage. 8.The subjects in the different stages of exercise behavior had significant differences in the exercise barriers. Exercise barriers scores decreased at each level from the precontemplation through to the maintenance stage. According to the finding of this study could present as references for improving school exercise eduction to promotion the exercise behavior among junior high school students and further research in this field.