Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to conduct a qualitative study of perceptions of active commuting to school (ACS) amongst middle school girls. Methods: Twelve adolescent girls (M = 13.1 ± 0.7 years old) who participated in the Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation of Texas Schools (STREETS) natural experiment were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. The semi-structured interview guide was grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and the existing literature. All interviews were transcribed by WebEx and thematic analysis was conducted via NVivo 12. Results: Participants had generally neutral to positive views of ACS. Main themes included social support of peers and the convenience of active commuting. Commonly reported barriers were distance to school, safety, and concerns about lack of sleep because of an early commuting time. Areas for future intervention included reducing perceived barriers of distance, time management, and safety, increasing girls’ motivation to actively commute, and improving skills and self-efficacy related to ACS through education, social support, guided practice, and incentives. Conclusions: This study provides evidence for schools and communities to include support programs for those who want to actively commute and suggestions for school policy changes to encourage active commuting to school (ACS). When developing ACS infrastructure or programs for middle school girls, concomitant programs that address strategies to address student perceptions and psychosocial barriers should be included.

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