An investigation into the interventions used by PE teachers for female adolescents and their perceptions of female barriers to participation in PE.

Abstract

The promotion of physical activity has been of great importance over recent years, due to the significant health benefits and evidence that healthy lifestyle behaviours during adolescence can equate to reduced health risks during adulthood (Telama, 2009; Dobbins et al., 2009). Despite this, the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation (WFSS) found that an astounding 80% of females in the UK do not take part in regular physical activity. This study intended to expand on the relatively little research on teacher's perceptions and how they address adolescent girls' inactivity within PE. The study had a dual purpose; firstly it aimed to explore the perceptions of PE teachers to the existing participation barriers of adolescent females in PE, and secondly, intervention strategies of PE teachers were examined to see what approaches could be employed to help address these perceived female barriers. A sample of four experienced PE teachers (3 male and 1 female) from around the Chesterfield area took part in this study. Interviews were conducted to find out what they thought the main barriers were for adolescent girls in PE, as well as the national, school-based and personal interventions they used to try and get more girls involved in PE and sport. The results suggest that these teachers perceived numerous different barriers to girls' participation, with the two main barriers being boys and body image/appearance. Also, the teachers' revealed lots of different intervention strategies that they have used to increase girls' participation in PE and sport, but these are not without limitations and their approaches differ. Therefore, it is evident that further attention needs to be given to intervention strategies.