Using participatory approaches with children to better understand their physical activity behaviour

Felicity Z.L. Hayball*, Charlotte Skau Pawlowski

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

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Abstract

Aims and objectives: The importance of childhood physical activity is widely recognised. Helping children to articulate their opinions is a crucial factor in improving their health and well-being, yet the field is predominantly focused on adult-led quantitative methods and lacks deeper understanding from a child perspective. Methods: This paper draws on experiences from a Danish study in which children depicted their physical activity behaviour in go-along group interviews in schoolyards (n = 111), and a Scottish study in which children photographed or drew meaningful places and discussed physical activity in these places (n = 25). Results: The benefits and challenges associated with using participatory methods to understand how children perceive the environment in relation to their physical activity behaviour are described. Conclusion: Findings contribute to the literature by suggesting that participatory approaches are valuable in capturing children’s perceptions of physical activity behaviour in outdoor environments.

Original languageEnglish
JournalHealth Education Journal
Volume77
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)542-554
ISSN0017-8969
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1. Aug 2018

Keywords

  • Children
  • outdoor environments
  • participatory approaches
  • physical activity behaviour
  • visual data

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