Understanding the Associations between Social Support and Physical Activity Participation among Adults

The aim of this dissertation was to explore the multidimensional operationalization of social support (SS) in the context of physical activity (PA) and associations between SS and PA among young adults. In study one, a systematic review of 20 longitudinal studies found that the strength as well as positive and negative associations between SS and PA were variable across studies, with effect sizes ranging from small to large and from negative to positive. The variability of these findings were attributed to the diverse facets of SS being examined and the distinct PA contexts. In study two, the relationship between structural, functional and perceptual SS dimensions and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) participation was tested cross-sectionally exploring the effects of gender among 819 first year students. In the model, being male as well as having more active friends and family (structural) were significant predictors of MVPA yet the relationships were not moderated by gender. In study three, the relationships among SS and PA (both MVPA and strength training) were tested over three time points spanning the first year of university. Students completed measures in the first semester (n=819), spring semester (n = 265), and the beginning of the second year of university (n =190). Having more active friends and family (structural), receiving more SS from friends and satisfaction with tangible SS (functional) was associated with MVPA and strength training at all three time points. Across studies, SS appeared to be associated with PA participation; however the strength of these relationships varied depending on the SS dimension being examined. There were consistent associations between the structural and functional dimensions of SS and PA, whereas no relationships noted with the perceptual dimension. The importance of both family and friend SS for PA participation was also highlighted; these findings have conceptual/measurement, theoretical, and practical implications.Ph.D