The Journal of School Nursing2024, Vol. 40(1) 97–107© The Author(s) 2022Article reuse guidelines:sagepub.com/journals-permissionsDOI: 10.1177/10598405221137718journals.sagepub.com/home/jsn
Although enjoyment has been linked to participation in physical activity (PA), a thorough analysis of the concept is lacking. Health-related behavior research emphasizes the necessity of focusing on individual psychological requirements, such as enjoyment in PA, to boost children and adolescents’ motivation for PA. The current paper is a report on a conceptual analysis of the enjoyment of PA among children and adolescents. We adopted the concept analysis procedure by Walker and Avant. Several databases (PubMed, CINAHL, ERIC, PsychInfo, and Sport Discus) were searched and used to extract relevant articles about the enjoyment of PA. The review process yielded a final set of 72 papers. A refined definition of enjoyment in PA, attributes, cases, antecedents, and consequences of enjoyment in PA were presented. A conceptual understanding of enjoyment in PA can enable nurses to plan interventions that help children and adolescents get appropriate PA and improve their health habits.
Keywordsconcept analysis, exercise, physical activity, enjoyment, children, adolescents, school nurses
Childhood and adolescence are critical times of growth and development. Adolescents crave peer acceptance and seek opportunities to develop autonomy and independence from their parents/guardians (Healthy People, 2020; Jarvis, 2019). Students in elementary schools may spend more time in recess, whereas those in secondary level schools may spend more time in physical education (PE), because of different age-related characteristics (e.g., attention span, fitness level and motivation level) and school environments (e.g., the number of physical education specialists, equipment/facilities, class schedules, and school-based PA policies (Jin et al., 2018).
Physical activity (PA) in the early years of life is linked to many long-term advantages, including improved cognitive development (Carson et al., 2016; Zhang et al., 2021), a reduced risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and symptoms of anxiety and depression, improved bone health and cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, physical and mental well-being (Jin et al., 2018) and improving overall quality of life (Ungar et al., 2016), particularly among children and adolescents (Murdaugh et al., 2019; Wyszynìska et al., 2020). PA is also a significant factor in preventing excessive body mass and is essential for reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents (Wyszynìska et al., 2020). Evidence suggests that decreased PA levels contribute to the higher prevalence of childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases (World Health Organization (WHO), 2016). Regular PA is the most modifiable factor of energy expenditure, accounting for about 25% of total energy expenditure, and as such, it is a powerful lever to affect the energy balance equation (Westerterp, 2017).
The promotion of health-enhancing activities must also begin early in life. In fact, emerging data indicates that child and adolescent PA has long-term benefits on adult morbidity and mortality in addition to its more immediate consequences (Hallal et al., 2006). Hence, PA is considered the easiest, accessible, available, and affordable choice to reduce and prevent obesity. Engaging in regular PA (60 min a day for children and 150 min spread throughout the week for adults) is recommended (WHO, 2016). According to the PA guidelines, all children and adolescents should perform at least 60 min of daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report, 2008).
Rapid physical changes occurring during childhood and adolescence may increase body image concerns and unhealthy weight control practices, and either increase or decrease adolescents’ willingness to participate in PA. Considering these changes, adolescents may feel challenged in a PA setting, and their enjoyment and motivation for PA can suffer (Palmer et al., 2020; Piercy et al., 2018). Given the importance of PA, substantial research attention has examined various potential determinants of PA to offer implications for promoting PA behaviors in the early years of life (Zhang et al., 2021). Previous studies have demonstrated that enjoyment represents a key factor underlying the exercise motivation for children and adolescents to maintain positive engagement in both PA and PE. For children and adolescents to attain adequate PA, they need to be motivated to regularly engage in the behavior (Gråstén et al., 2012; Yli-Piipari et al., 2009). Therefore, it is important to understand and address enjoyment and its related terms in PA (Palmer et al., 2020).
The current paper aims to present a concept analysis of enjoyment in PA. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature and guided by the eight steps of the Walker and Avant (2005) method. Walker and Avant’s steps include: (a) selecting a concept for analysis; (b) determining the purpose or aim of the concept analysis; (c) identifying all the uses of the concept; (d) determining the defining attributes; (e) identifying a model case; (f) identifying other cases (contrary and related); (g) identifying antecedents and consequences; and (h) defining the empirical referents for the concept. The steps and related sections in this article are presented in table 1. Also, the definition of each step was added along with its subsection.
Choosing a concept for the analysis is preferably performed according to the author’s own interests and expertise or is selected on the basis that it is crucial for research. Systematic reviews have suggested that among the different conceptual correlations of PA, perceived enjoyment is considered a vital affective factor among the most proximal influences of PA among school students (Biddle et al., 2011; Sterdt et al., 2014). Enjoyment of PA is one prominent and frequently applied affective component capturing experience and expectation of pleasure toward PA (Lewis et al., 2016; Wang, 2017; Williams, 2014). Evidence also supports perceived enjoyment as a mediator of various school-level PA interventions (Dishman et al., 2018) and the mechanisms underlying the relationship between other social-environmental factors (e.g., social, parental, peer support) and children’s PA (Chen et al., 2017; Silva et al., 2014). This relationship indicates that enjoyment may be an important variable to target in interventions to increase PA participation (Lewis et al., 2016).
Furthermore, it is emphasized that the enjoyment of doing PAs also brings along various positive effects, which range from task orientation to individual growth and functional abilities (Paxton et al., 2008; Yli-Piipari et al., 2013) and improving quality of life (Ungar et al., 2016). In that manner, the importance of exercise has always been instilled among children and adolescents, as this situation will help them achieve and maintain their physical and mental health and total well-being (Jekauc et al., 2013). Distinguishing enjoyment from related concepts is essential. Despite its importance, enjoyment of PA is poorly defined in the literature because it is frequently described in conjunction with other concepts such as motivation and commitment (Griffin et al., 2013).
According to Walker and Avant (2005), concept analysis allows nursing scholars to examine the attributes or characteristics of a concept. The purpose of using concept analysis is to distinguish between the defining attributes of a concept and its irrelevant attributes and determine the similarities and differences between concepts. Conceptual clarity is needed to understand the meaning of enjoyment in PA when included in research and to give empirical direction for future studies examining the concept among children and adolescents (Griffin et al., 2013). Therefore, this paper is important because it expands upon the existing understanding of enjoyment in PA to ensure adequate capture of the concept in research directed toward increasing children and adolescents’ PA. A better understanding of how enjoyment might impact daily PA participation and health may lead to better PA programs geared towards improving children and adolescent health (Jin et al., 2018). Developing a concept analysis is the first step in defining enjoyment in PA to ensure that the definition aligns with the operational measure (Palmer et al., 2020). Through a comprehensive review and analysis of the existing theoretical and empirical literature, this study will propose a conceptual definition of enjoyment in PA.
Walker and Avant’s (2005) concept analysis procedure was used to guide this analysis with steps that were mentioned in the introduction and in table 1.
Several databases, including the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health (CINHAL), PubMed, PsycINFO, Sport DISCUS, Scopus, Science Direct, and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) were searched. First, databases were searched using the following keywords: enjoyment, enjoy, enjoying, desire, interests, pleasure, physical activity, physical education, sport, exercise, movement, and energy, along with children and adolescents. “Enjoyment of physical activity” as a full concept was also searched as a phrase. A total of 200 abstracts was reviewed. Articles were included if they met the following criteria: written in English, published between 2000 and 2021, and described or examined the enjoyment of PA in children and/or adolescents. Included studies could be qualitative or quantitative or be classified as a review. Studies were excluded if they focused on adults only. After reviewing the abstracts and eliminating duplicates, the articles were retained. Finally, one conference, three dictionaries, four websites, five books, and 59 research articles were used for data analysis.
According to Walker and Avant (2005), uses of the concept can be identified through the use of dictionaries, thesauruses, colleagues, and available literature in addition to theoretical background. PA is defined as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure” (WHO, 2016). The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines enjoyment as “a feeling of pleasure caused by doing or experiencing something you like” (Merriam Webster Dictionary, n.d). A variety of words can be used as synonyms for ‘enjoyment’, and they include: “diversion, enjoying, entertainment, fun, happiness, hedonism, joy, loving, pleasure, recreation, satisfaction” (Thesaurus.com, n.d).
Moreover, analysis of the literature indicates that enjoyment is “a positive affective or emotional state that reflects feelings of fun, liking, or pleasure” (Paxton et al., 2008, p. 423) and “the emotional lift that participants experience during exercise” (Hagberg et al., 2009, p. 741). Enjoyment in the context of PA has been also described as the process of experiencing joy, reflecting general feelings of pleasure, fun, and happiness. Within the PA context, enjoyment represents a positive attitude toward PA practice and constitutes one of the most important correlates of PA participation (Teques et al., 2020). See supplementary table 1 for a summary of the definitions of enjoyment that flourished in the literature.
In conclusion, based on these definitions and for the purpose of this analysis, enjoyment of PA among children and adolescents can be defined as “a positive affective or emotional state that reflects feelings of fun, liking, pleasure, or satisfaction experienced by children and adolescents from participation and engagement in physical activity”.
Theoretical Background: Theories and Models in the Enjoyment of Physical Activity. Some behavioral theories support that enjoyment during school-based PA programs is a key component of PA promotion in children and adolescents. Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), for example, support the idea that enjoyment influences PA participation and suggest people are more inclined to engage in PA if they expect enjoyment from it (Hilland et al., 2011; Michael et al., 2016).
The TPB assumes that personality influences the behavior, perceptions, expectations, and cognitions of an individual. Fundamentally, the TPB mediates relations between personality and PA and regards the intention of an individual to act as the proximal antecedent of one’s behavior; and its connection with personality is specific (Rhodes & Pfaeffli, 2012, p. 215). Furthermore, intention can sum up motivation or the willingness to try hard for a certain behavior, which can be influenced by one’s affective (like enjoyment) and instrumental (such as utility) evaluations of the behavior (Rhodes & Pfaeffli, 2012).
Another theory found to be relevant in the context of enjoyment is the SCT by Bandura (1998), who acknowledges the role of cognitive factors in motivating and enabling people to act and alter their behaviors. The focus of this theoretical framework is on how the individual’s personal experiences, actions, and experiences of others, and the influence of environmental factors on the health behavior of the individual. Bandura also emphasized the concept of self-efficacy as the personal belief that a task can be successfully achieved. The theory has an incredible influence on the planning and compliance of health behaviors such as physical activity and dietary behavior.
Based on the SDT, Ryan and Deci (2000) were able to devise a model of enjoyment. The model interlinked enjoyment with intrinsic growth and signified a principal source of enjoyment. The SDT provided a framework for the process and helped to guide the analysis to yield a definition of the concept and developed and differentiated among various types of basic needs and offers information about antecedents of enjoyment, which include autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Aelterman et al., 2016; Gunnell et al., 2016; McDavid et al., 2012; Wang, 2017). Autonomy is identified as their basic need to experience behavior as volitional (Fullmer, et al., 2018). In addition, feeling competent with their skills related to PA is important during this developmental period (Jarvis, 2019; Sterdt et al., 2014). In a student-centered intervention based on the SCT and SDT, Wilson et al. (2005) demonstrated that psychosocial factors of self-efficacy, and self-concept predicted PA. In contrast, Timo et al. (2016) found that motivation and enjoyment in PE in grade seven did not predict future PA.
According to Walker and Avant (2005), defining attributes are those critical characteristics that appear in a concept repeatedly and help researchers differentiate the occurrence of a specific phenomenon from a similar one. Defining attributes comprises the heart of concept analysis. The goals are to choose a cluster of explanations for the terms found in the data collection and to keep these explanations as brief as possible. Review of relevant literature resources helped to identify certain attributes associated with enjoyment of PA as shown in Table 2. These include: (1) positive affective or emotional state; (2) feelings of fun, liking, or pleasure; and (3) participation in PA, exercise adherence and mood enhancement.
A positive affective or emotional state is a characteristic of enjoyment of PA and has an essential role in therapeutic recreation practice and is considered as the key mediator of the effects of different predictors, such as social constraints. Also, as a mediator of the effects of a school-based intervention, as well as a mediator of psychological benefits, which will promote positive affective states (Hutchinson et al., 2006; Jekauc et al., 2013). In addition to being a therapeutic recreation practice, “positive affective or emotional state” also refers to how PA itself helps adolescents with their social and communication skills. For instance, it has been shown that PE, which focuses on sports, can heighten interpersonal interactions, and build reciprocal relationships, and network and social affiliation goals become more pronounced. In this regard, it can be noted that sports and other physical activities serve as leverage which allows people to create positive relations with significant others (Wallhead et al., 2013).
Another attribute of the concept centers on feelings and moods, that is, pertaining to the idea that adolescents have fun and take pleasure in the benefits that come along with exercise and other PAs. Nevertheless, this specific attribute also underscores that enjoyment is primarily a reactionary response, implying that the feeling towards exercise or PA depends on the response an individual gets from other people, thus influencing his/her mood towards the activity itself. The most obvious results of getting positive feedback from people, such as teachers, parents, and friends are feelings of like, pleasure, and fun. When individuals are surrounded with support and encouragement to keep up with their PA and exercise routines, they can find true enjoyment in those activities (Griffin et al., 2013).
Participation in PA, exercise adherence, and mood enhancement are basically the impacts of PA enjoyment. Children and adolescents will embody these characteristics once they experience the positive effects of exercise or PA for themselves. Therefore, PE is regarded as a great place to channel their enthusiasm for exercise and PA. Apart from enjoying PE, people also start to love exercising at home, which is a very uncommon activity for young people (Hashim et al., 2008a). So, the psychological effects of enjoyment, like optimism and other positive attitudes and behaviors, will also be promoted (Hashim et al., 2008b).
Constructing a model or contrary case helps to identify the concept’s attributes (Walker & Avant, 2005). In a model case, the presence of the concept is described, whereas in a contrary case, the concept is absent. See the following examples:
Model Case. A model case is an example that includes and illustrates all the defining attributes of the concept (Walker & Avant, 2005). The following paragraph exemplifies a model case for the concept “enjoyment of PA”.
Fatima is a 17-year-old single Saudi female who is a student in high school. Her weight is 175 lbs., her height is 5′ 10′’, and her BMI is 25.1, which is considered overweight for her age and gender. She does not engage in any PA at school or outside school. After an appointment with a nurse practitioner, during which she was advised to increase her PA, she enrolled in a PE program at a fitness center. After attending the program for couple of weeks, she reported that she likes and enjoyed PA and has fun in engagement in PA. She plans to go to the fitness center on a regular basis to be physically active and has a strong desire to continue her PA.
Comment: In this case, the girl had feelings of fun, liking, or pleasure, showed adherence and engagement or participation in exercise, and a strong desire to continue PA. Therefore, all the attributes of enjoyment of PA were met in this case.
Contrary Case. Contrary case refers to the cases that clearly do not apply the concept under the study but clarify the opposites.
Mariam is a 15-year-old single Saudi female who is a student at an intermediate private school that has PE classes. Her weight is 190 lbs., her height is 5′ 5“, and her BMI is 31.6, which is considered obese for her age and gender. She does not participate in any PA at school or outside school. She met with the school nurse and was advised to enroll in some PE classes in her school at least two or three times per week. After a couple of weeks had passed, she met with the school nurse again and reported that she did not like PA or being enrolled in the PE classes at school. She did not enjoy the lack of variety in the exercises or activities offered in the classes. She reported that she does not care about her weight and has no desire to engage in PE classes.
Comment: In this case, the opposite is appeared, such as non-enjoyment in PA, no desire for participation or engagement in PA. Therefore, all the attributes of enjoyment of PA were absent in the contrary case.
Antecedents. Antecedents are the events or incidents that precede the application of the concept (Walker & Avant, 2005). According to Mullen et al. (2011), enjoyment is considered both a predictor and an outcome of PA. Antecedents of this concept include cultural, social, environmental, biological, psychological, individual, and behavioral factors.
Cultural factors such as (i.e., beliefs about PA, the school and gym culture or culture of sports, shared environment, presence of competitors, exercise leader, macho culture and gender differences (Brochado et al., 2010; Hoffman, 2009). Macho culture was also seen to be negatively reinforced by sports’ governing bodies, which influences female engagement in active PA and sports (Shaw & Hoeber, 2003). The macho culture is also visible in schools, where girls who want to be physically active while still being feminine can have a negative effect on participation (Allender et al., 2006).
The social factors include social support from family and friends; leadership styles of exercise leaders; the social environment where the exercise occurs; the role of coaches and teachers who structure the learning environment (Hoffman, 2009). Environmental factors (i.e., access to facilities, weather conditions, and PA restrictions in schools) and biological factors (i.e., cardiovascular disease risk-factor profiles, absence of diseases that could interfere with exercising, genetics), and parental guidance (Brochado et al., 2010) also present other antecedents. While psychological factors include (i.e., subjective experience of playing a game (Hoffman, 2009), absence of barriers, intrinsic rewards, and motivation of PA (Ryan & Deci, 2000; Yli-Piipari et al., 2013), lack of stressors, time availability, higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and stress; and individual and behavioral factors (i.e., having needed skills and knowledge to engage in PA, body image perceptions (Brochado et al., 2010; Duffey et al., 2021).
Consequences. Consequences are the events or outcomes that result from the application of the concept (Walker & Avant, 2005). Several significant consequences of the enjoyment of PA were identified, including environmental and behavioral impacts as follows: increased levels of engagement, adoption, and maintenance of PA (Cairney et al., 2012); optimal exercise intentions (Raedeke et al., 2009); positive anticipation of PA (Mullen et al., 2011); engaging in exercise at the recommended level (Paxton et al., 2008); and higher activity levels, even among female adolescents. Young people can internalize the physical and mental health benefits of PA and exercise through their own positive experiences with these activities (Paxton et al., 2008). The degree to which both children and adolescents enjoy an activity is a significant factor in how much time they devote to such a hobby or recreation (Dishman et al., 2004; Kolt et al., 2004). Schools can become successful in promoting out-of-school PA, especially when low-active adolescents are targeted, while employing strategies that are designed to enhance their enjoyment of PA.
Defining empirical referents is the last step of concept analysis. Walker and Avant (2005) state that empirical referents are classes or categories of actual phenomena that by their existence or presence demonstrate the occurrence of the concept itself. Empirical referents are not a tool to measure the concept; instead, empirical referents explain how the concept is utilized in research and practice. Because they provide clear and observable measurements that assist in differentiating the concept from other similar ones, they are useful for developing instruments (Walker & Avant, 2005).
The empirical referents of the concept “enjoyment of PA” are the behaviors that reflect a positive state or feeling of fun and pleasure, participation and adherence with activity, and enhancement of mood (Paxton et al., 2008). Assessment of an individual’s responses regarding the behaviors indicates the degree of enjoyment of PA. However, social referents of enjoyment in PA, pointing to family, peers, and teachers, were also noted (Anderson et al., 2013), which is part of the microsystem category of the ecological model. The microsystem lists the number of activities, roles, and interpersonal relationships that individuals experience in their local residence and activities (Santos & Gonçalves, 2012).
The PA Enjoyment Scale (PACES) is an example of an instrument that was designed to measure enjoyment of PA among people who participate in a PA program (Teques et al., 2020). PACES also provides the necessary tool for examining the relationship between enjoyment and exercise adherence and identifies the variables that influence the enjoyment of individuals in both exercise and sport (Teques et al., 2020). PACES was modified for use with female adolescents based on an evaluation by focus groups of girls using standard methodology. The scale is composed of 16 items designed to assess adolescents’ enjoyment of PA (Motl et al., 2001).
To summarize our analysis, enjoyment PA can be defined as a positive affective response or feeling condition that encompasses pleasure or satisfaction from participation and engagement in PA. Enjoyment of PA is recognized as a key factor for motivated behavior and sustained involvement in PA. The defining attributes of the concept "enjoyment of PA" include positive affective or emotional state; feelings of fun, liking, or pleasure; participation in PA; exercise adherence; and mood enhancement. These identified attributes can be used to develop the enjoyment of PA instruments. Moreover, the antecedents of the concept referred to cultural, social, environmental, biological, psychological, individual, and behavioral factors. Regarding the consequences, increasing levels of engagement in PA; feelings of positive emotions and increased motivation; optimal exercise intentions; positive anticipation of PA; long-term adherence to PA; engaging in exercise at the recommended level, and improved health and well-being are anticipated consequences. All these factors are proposed to significantly impact the enjoyment of PA, as shown in Figure 1.
The enjoyment of PA is considered an important component of children’ and adolescents’ participation in PA but is not uniformly and consistently defined. Based on Walker and Avant’s eight-step process of concept analysis, this concept analysis study clearly identified the attributes, model case, contrary case, antecedents, consequences, and empirical references of enjoyment of PA through comprehensive review of literature. This concept analysis provides a deeper understanding and contributes to the body of knowledge regarding the enjoyment of PA among children and adolescents.
Researchers have demonstrated the validity of measuring enjoyment of PA enjoyment in adolescents (Butt et al., 2011). Antecedents and consequences might vary with time or could conflict with each other. Despite this, certain relationships between enjoyment and specific theoretically based antecedents and consequences can be expected with an invariant measure of enjoyment (Mullen et al., 2011) and should be considered in developing enjoyable PA programs. A study showed that people tend to engage in activities that align with their preferences (Liu et al., 2013) and intrinsic motivation toward PA (Butt et al., 2011; Ross et al., 2013). If adolescents are more inclined to engage in regular PA when they enjoy the activity, giving them the opportunity to engage in a variety of PA to identify the activities they enjoy should help adolescents attain the recommended daily amount of PA.
Research has examined the association between enjoyment of PA and regular PA participation with the results either being positive or having no association (Heitzler et al., 2010; Salmon et al., 2009). However, not much research has examined the factors that influence adolescents’ PA enjoyment. These factors could be contextual, social, or PA-related, such as specific types of activity or opportunities to engage in a variety of activities (Michael et al., 2016). Moreover, the differences between boys and girls are important in the development of PA programs, especially PE, which should teach adolescents about a variety of PA and help them identify ones they enjoy supporting lifelong PA. Few studies have examined how a variety of PA is associated with PA enjoyment (Michael et al., 2016). For the attainment of effective policies that increase PA levels in adolescent girls, it is essential to engage several stakeholders at different levels in incorporating a gender-responsive approach toward PA participation (Duffey et al., 2021).
Inducing enjoyment of PA yields long-term positive mental and psychological impacts that will also foster learning and growth. A person in a healthy mental, physical, social, and psychological state becomes open to different undertakings, both good and bad. With the constant companionship of friends and family as well as the strong social relationships with significant people, a person becomes happier, knowing that he knows where he belongs, deeming that one always seeks to find social belongingness (Wallhead et al., 2013). Enjoyment of PA can primarily push these children and adolescents to continue their participation, not only during their PE classes but also at home. In that way, they will be able to foster their functional abilities and develop their sense of well-being. PE, as mentioned, is a very helpful educational subject. It does not just simply allow the students to be open to various PAs and other sportsrelated interventions, but also helps them to create positive social relationships with other people (Yli-Piipari et al., 2013).
Significantly, as the national PA guidelines call for enjoyable PA, enjoyment in school-based PA programs may contribute to health promotion (Jin et al., 2018). Accumulating evidence indicates that it is more beneficial to assist children and adolescents in developing behaviors like PA at this young age rather than try to change already established unhealthy habits later in life (Murdaugh et al., 2019; Richards, 2015). Indeed, school PE programs have the potential to provide children and adolescents with opportunities for physical activity and to teach them the knowledge and skills required to establish and maintain an active lifestyle (Hashim et al., 2008b).
Likewise, the concept "enjoyment of PA" is an important one in nursing practice. According to the Society of Pediatric Nurses, nurses and school nurses play an integral part in assessing the PA patterns of children and adolescents, educating children, adolescents, and their parents about the importance of PA (Turbett, 2006), and promoting PA along with other health-promoting behaviors. Because children and adolescents spend most of their time in school, school is an essential venue for providing adolescents with the opportunity to engage in PA (Dobbins et al., 2013). As the healthcare providers onsite, the school nurse has a crucial role in the seamless provision of comprehensive health services to children and youth. School nurses have a crucial role in helping them to achieve the PA goal at school (National Association of School Nurses, 2008). Also, because they see teens often and can build trusting relationships with them, nurses in primary care settings and schools are in a good position to help encourage students and teens to participate in PA (Murdaugh et al., 2019; Richards, 2015).
Like in previous studies, it is highly recommended to have intersectoral approach involving education, sports, and health sectors should be considered in designing PE curricula that place a gender-responsive view of preferences of adolescents. Policies and initiatives that can support PA outside the traditional PE setting in schools, such as active breaks and active extracurricular activities, are additional ways to encourage and increase enjoyable PA opportunities.
In this study, the researchers analyzed enjoyment of PA; however, effective interventions for enjoyment in PA are unknown and require further study. Future study is needed to refine operational definitions of enjoyment to embody the concept’sdefining characteristics. Also, future research is reasonable to examine underlying differences between males and females by age, weight status, and developmental stage.
The enjoyment concept is needed to promote the outcome of increased PA. Thus, the identification of attributes, antecedents, and consequences of PA can help school administrators and community health nurses carefully consider modifiable factors to facilitate the engagement of children and adolescents in PA classes. It also informs the design of programs to promote PA enjoyment and PA participation among children and adolescents. A thorough understanding can help nurses plan interventions to help children and adolescents get appropriate PA regularly and to enhance health behavior or promote policy changes in the healthcare and educational systems.
This thorough study explains the conceptual definition of enjoyment of PA among children and adolescents. Through this concept analysis, attributes of enjoyment of PA, cases, antecedents, and consequences were presented, which contribute to the body of knowledge in enjoyment of PA. Moreover, concept analysis provides a conceptual model for enjoyment of PA that could be used in future empirical application and measurement and instrument development of enjoyment of PA.
The datasets used and/or analysed are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Eman Bajamal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7671-6230
Lorraine B. Robbins https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2914-3630
Supplemental material for this article is available online.
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Eman Bajamal, Assistant Professor in Community Health Nursing College of Nursing - Jeddah, King Saud bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences, Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC). She has several publications and Reviewer in many international journals. Publon reviewer.
Ebtsam Aly Abou Hashish, College of Nursing - Jeddah, King Saud bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences, Saudi Arabia and Professor of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt. She has more than 40 publications and Reviewer in many international journals. Publon Mentor and reviewer.
Lorraine Robbins, Professor with a demonstrated track record of NIH/NHLBI funding, as the PI, to conduct research on increasing physical activity and healthy eating among diverse young adolescents and their parents living in urban, low-income communities. His research has focused on preventing obesity via school- and homebased interventions, including some that involve the use of technology to promote health. She has a strong educational background with a master’s degree focused on the area of Family Nurse Practitioner from Emory University and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from the University of Michigan. She completed post-doctoral work in health promotion and risk reduction at the University of Michigan. She has taught courses at the undergraduate, masters, and PhD levels.
1 College of Nursing, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2 King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Saudi Arabia
3 Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
4 College of Nursing, Michigan State University, MI, USA
Corresponding Author:Eman Bajamal, PhD, MSN, RN, College of Nursing, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Mail Code 6565, P.O. Box 9515, Jeddah, 21423, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Email: BajamalE@ksau-hs.edu.sa
