The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between continuous exercise and engagement in sports activities from junior high school and generalized self-efficacy (GSE) during senior high school in male students.
Methods:
We conducted this study at a private boys' senior high school in Japan. A self-report questionnaire assessing previous (i.e., junior high school) and current (i.e., senior high school) exercise and sports practices was administered to all 1st and 2nd year students in physical education classes; cross-sectional data were obtained from 1,187 students (response rate: 83.0％). We evaluated current GSE using the Japanese version of the GSE Scale. Subjects were divided into the following six groups based on whether they belonged to a sports club at junior high school (belonged or did not belong to sports club) and exercise and sports habits in senior high school (no practice, individual practice, belonged to a sports club): 1) never belonged to a sports club (did not belong/no practice, n＝96), 2) stopped belonging to a sports club (belonged/no practice, n＝454), 3) began sports individually (did not belong/individual practice, n＝10), 4) continued sports individually (belonged/individual practice, n＝79), 5) began belonging to a sports club (did not belong/belonged, n＝21), and 6) continued belonging to a sports club (belonged/belonged, n＝527). We used analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusting for potential cofounders, to compare GSE between the six groups.
Results:
As a result of the ANCOVA, the following three groups had significantly higher GSE than the never belonged to sports club group: the stopped belonging to a sports club, continued sports individually and continued belonging to a sports club groups. Additionally, the continued sports individually and continued belonging to a sports club groups had significantly higher GSE than the stopped belonging to a sports club group.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that belonging to a sports club from junior high school to senior high school may enhance GSE in male adolescents. However, stopping involvement with a sports club and individually continuing exercise or sports may also be effective for enhancing GSE.
