How parents of young children perceive the value of participating in parent–child physical activities

Abstract

Early childhood is a critical period for developing exercise habits, and parental involvement plays a decisive role in shaping children’s physical activity behaviors. Drawing on Expectancy Value Theory, this study examined parents of kindergarten-aged children across five constructs: Ability Expectation, Required Effort, Psychological Cost of Failure, Cost of Others’ Expectations, and Perceived Value. Results revealed a notable gap between the perceived importance and actual satisfaction of the Psychological Cost of Failure, indicating parents’ concern about potential frustration or pressure their children might face. In contrast, Perceived Value was consistently rated high in both importance and satisfaction, underscoring parents’ recognition of the social and emotional benefits of parent–child physical activities. These findings highlight the need for schools to provide emotional support and positive reinforcement in activity design.

Keywords: {'name': 'Parent–child physical activity'}, {'name': 'Expectancy Value Theory'}, {'name': 'Parental involvement'}, {'name': 'Early childhood physical and psychological development'}, {'name': 'Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA)'}

Authors & affiliations

Lung-An Shen
Cheng Shiu University

Ren-Fang Chao
I-Shou University

Wei-Chih Wang
Cheng Shiu University

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