Development and Testing of a Sports Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Rural Girls

Launched by SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY · Jan 19, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study tests whether a 12-week program called Girls PLAY can be feasibly run with rural, Hispanic girls in Imperial County, California. Girls PLAY combines in-person sport sessions (60–75 minutes, 2–3 times per week) with take-home activities, and it focuses on building physical skills, confidence, and enjoyment in sports. The program is delivered at Boys & Girls Clubs and is guided by Self-Determination Theory, which aims to support kids’ sense of choice, competence, and belonging.

Eligible participants are healthy girls aged 8–10 who live in Imperial County and are enrolled at a participating Boys & Girls Club site. Exclusion criteria include having a sibling already in the study or any physical or mental condition that would make activity unsafe or hard to follow the protocol. About 30 girls are planned to enroll, and the study is designed as a single-group feasibility trial (all participants receive the program; there’s no comparison group). Researchers will look at whether they can recruit and retain participants, complete study assessments, and whether participants find the program acceptable and engaging. They’ll also collect secondary data on changes in physical activity, physical literacy, autonomy, sport participation, enjoyment, and related feelings, using several standard measures. The study began in 2024 and is expected to complete around 2028, with results not yet available.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • living in Imperial County, California
• • identify as female
• • aged 8-10 years old
• • enrolled at a participating Boys \& Girls Club site
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • has a sibling enrolled in the study
• • physical or mental impairment that would preclude physical activity or protocol compliance