The continued surge in childhood obesity rates globally has created much impetus for
researchers to develop intervention strategies effective in changing physical activity behavior
during childhood. Despite such interest there has been limited success, and very rarely have
cross-cultural applicability of these initiatives been considered. This thesis begins with an
examination of the applicability of a Western-modeled school-based intervention, America
on the Move, using pedometers and point-of-choice prompts in an attempt to change the
walking behavior of Chinese Hong Kong children (Chapter 2). To achieve this, the
intervention mapping protocol was followed. The process comprised three studies. First, health messages prompting walking behaviors were developed and tested for motivational
properties. Second, two piezoelectric pedometers were validated for our target population,
and finally, a 7-week pilot of the intervention using the validated health messages and
pedometers was implemented and evaluated among 8-12 year old Chinese Hong Kong
children.
The second part of the thesis took the unexpected results of the pilot intervention and
explored how a goal-related psychological construct, emotional rehearsal, which has been
associated with dysregulated health behaviors, may contribute to these. This part commences
with an overview of the conceptualization of rehearsal and presentation of a conceptual
model between stress and dysregulated health behavior mediated by the propensity for
rehearsal (Chapter 3). Three studies were then undertaken to examine the relationship
between rehearsal and dysregulated physical activity behavior. First, a Chinese version of the
Rehearsal Scale for children (RSC-C) measuring propensity of rehearsal in children was
adapted and validated for use in the subsequent two studies (Chapter 4). The second study
investigated the existence of pedometer reactivity and how this might interact with propensity
for rehearsal (Chapter 5). Lastly, the relationship between rehearsal and child health was
examined through an assessment of the propensity for rehearsal and central adiposity status.
Taken together, results of these empirical studies show promise in supporting the
proposition that the effectiveness of intervention strategies may be culturally bound via the
propensity for rehearsal and its link with cardiovascular health. Limitations of this thesis and
future research directions are explored in the final chapter. / published_or_final_version / Human Performance / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:HKU/oai:hub.hku.hk:10722/174505 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Ling, Chun-man., 凌振文. |
| Contributors | McManus, AM, Masters, RSW |
| Publisher | The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) |
| Source Sets | Hong Kong University Theses |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | PG_Thesis |
| Source | http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B47849472 |
| Rights | The author retains all proprietary rights, (such as patent rights) and the right to use in future works., Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License |
| Relation | HKU Theses Online (HKUTO) |
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