Abstract
Citation
Fairclough SJ, Weaver RG, Johnson S, Rawlinson J. Validation of an observation tool to assess physical activity-promoting physical education lessons in high schools: SOFIT. J Sci Med Sport 2018 May;21(5):495-500. Epub 2017 Oct 2.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: SOFIT+ is an observation tool to measure teacher practices related to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) promotion during physical education (PE). The objective of the study was to examine the validity of SOFIT+ during high school PE lessons. DESIGN: This cross-sectional, observational study tested the construct validity of SOFIT+ in boys' and girls' high school PE lessons. METHODS: Twenty-one PE lessons were video-recorded and retrospectively coded using SOFIT+. Students wore hip-mounted accelerometers during lessons as an objective measure of MVPA. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the likelihood of students engaging in MVPA during different teacher practices represented by observed individual codes and a combined SOFIT+ index-score. RESULTS: Fourteen individual SOFIT+ variables demonstrated a statistically significant relationship with girls' and boys' MVPA. Observed lesson segments identified as high MVPA-promoting were related to an increased likelihood of girls engaging in 5-10 (OR=2.86 [95% CI 2.41-3.40]), 15-25 (OR=7.41 [95% CI 6.05-9.06]), and 30-40 (OR=22.70 [95% CI 16.97-30.37])s of MVPA. For boys, observed high-MVPA promoting segments were related to an increased likelihood of engaging in 5-10 (OR=1.71 [95% CI 1.45-2.01]), 15-25 (OR=2.69 [95% CI 2.31-3.13]) and 30-40 (OR=4.26 [95% CI 3.44-5.29])s of MVPA. CONCLUSIONS: Teacher practices during high school PE lessons are significantly related to students' participation in MVPA. SOFIT+ is a valid and reliable tool to examine relationships between PE teacher practices and student MVPA during PE.
Full Text
The full text is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2017.09.186
At A Glance
Individual Physical Activity Behavior Variables
| Expenditure |
|---|
| Moderate Physical Activity |
| Vigorous Physical Activity |
Domain(s)
Individual Physical Activity Behavior
Measure Type
Behavioral observation
Measure Availability
Measure included in article
Number of Items
20 Reported
Study location
Metro/Urban
West Lancashire, North-west England, England
Languages
English
Information about Development of Measure
The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) was modified (SOFIT+) to comprehensively measure teacher practices that both promote and limit moderate to vigorous physical activity during physical education (PE). The SOFIT+ tool consists of two phases: During phase one Lesson Context and Activity Context are coded, while Teacher Behaviors and Activity Management variables are captured in phase two. Phases one and two are completed continuously and consecutively in twenty second intervals throughout the entirety of the observed lesson. At the lesson’s end an exit checklists completed to record lesson location, weather, equipment amount and type, and lesson content.
Study Design
Study Participants
Age
6 - 11 Years
12 - 18 Years
Sex
Female
Male
Race/Ethnicity
Not reported
Predominantly Low-income/Low-SES
No
Sample Size
225
Study Design
Design Type
Validation/Reliability
Health Outcomes Assessed
None
Obesity Measures
Not applicable
BMI Measured or Self-reported
Not applicable
Covariates
Not available
Data Reported on Race/Ethnicity
Not applicable
Data Reported on SES
Quantitative data on study sample
SES-related Variables
Medium to high socioeconomic-status
How To Use
Administration
Who Administered
Researcher-administered
How Administered
Direct observation, hard-copy form
Time Required
34.1 to 38.2 minutes
Training Required
Yes, time reported: 14 hours
Instructions on Use
Instructions on instrument use included in article
Data Analysis
Data Collection/Analysis Costs
Not reported
Data Collection/Protocol
On observation days, upon arrival to physical education (PE) class, each student had an ActiGraph GT3x+ accelerometer attached to their right hip. Students then participated in their normally scheduled PE lessons, which were video-recorded using a tripod-mounted GoPro HERO4 camera. At the end of the lesson, the time was recorded and the accelerometers were collected. The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT+) observations were completed via Pendragon Forms Universal on a Samsung Galaxy Tablet by viewing the videos.
Instructions on Data Analysis
Instructions on analysis included in article
Validity (2)
| Type of validity | Construct/subscale assessed | Criterion measure used | Test/statistic used | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construct | The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT+), lesson segments promoting moderate to vigorous physical activities, girls | Moderate to vigorous physical activities (accelerometer), in seconds | Odd ratios (OR) | OR = 2.86 to 22.70 |
| Construct | The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT+), lesson segments promoting moderate to vigorous physical activities, boys | Moderate to vigorous physical activities (accelerometer), in seconds | Odd ratios (OR) | OR = 1.71 to 4.26 |
Reliability (0)
There are no reliability tests reported for this measure.