Parents and family are salient influences on child physical activity. Family variables examined in relation to physical activity thus far are limited to parenting practices and styles. Findings regarding parenting styles and child physical activity are mixed, suggesting the value of exploring moderators. Parent depression moderates the association between parenting style and child obesity, but has not been explored in relation to youth physical activity. Examining additional family variables in relation child physical activity would be valuable. Existing studies suggest the potential mediating role of parenting in associations between family variables and child physical activity, yet there is currently no empirical support for this notion. Belsky (1984) outlines alternative family variables and emphasizes the salience of the marital relationship. Marital conflict negatively influences parenting and child outcomes yet has not been explored in relation to physical activity-specific parenting behaviors or child physical activity. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to address the need for further examination of family variables in relation to child physical activity; specific aims were to: (1) examine the moderating influence of parent depression on associations between mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles and physical activity among male and female youth; and (2) test an indirect effects model, examining the mediating influence of parental encouragement on the association between marital conflict and youth physical activity during early adolescence. Methods: Data came from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. To address aim one, physical activity (measured when children were in 6th grade) was examined in relation to parent-reported depression (measured when children were in 6th grade) and parent-reported harsh and lax parenting practices (measured when children were in 3rd grade). Separate analyses were performed for all parent and child sex combinations, with and without covariates (child BMI z-score and socio-economic status). To address aim two, measures of physical activity, marital conflict, and encouragement of child physical activity when children were 10-, 11-, and 15-years old were used. A longitudinal, autoregressive model was used to examine the indirect effect of marital conflict (at age 10) on child physical activity (at age 15) via encouragement of activity (at age 11). Results: The moderation study indicated a borderline significant interaction between maternal depressive symptoms and harsh parenting strategies for female youth whereby higher depression and harsh parenting predicted lower activity. The interaction effect of mother variables on physical activity among male youth, and father variables on physical activity among male and female youth was non-significant. The mediation study indicated a significant, positive effect of marital conflict at age 10 on encouragement of activity at age 11 and on physical activity at age 15. When analyzing by child sex, associations were significant/marginally non-significant for females and non-significant for males. The indirect effect of marital conflict on activity via encouragement was non-significant for males, females, and the total sample. Conclusions: The studies indicate small, significant, direct and moderating effects of family variables on youth activity and support the further exploration of family variables in relation to child physical activity. The findings suggest that the moderating role of parent and child sex in the associations should be accounted for in future research. Girls’ physical activity may be more susceptible to family/parenting dynamics and there is likely to be value in considering family and parent psychosocial variables in the endeavor to understand variation in youth physical activity levels.
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