Sheu-Jen Huang: Department of Health Promotion & Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: huangsj@ntnu.edu.tw.
Wen-Chi Hung: Department of Oral Hygiene & Healthcare, Cardinal Tien Junior College of Healthcare and Management, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Meei-Ling Shyu: School of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: meeiling@tmu.edu.tw.
Kuo-Chen Chang: Department of Geography, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: kcchang@ntnu.edu.tw.
Chun-Kai Chen: Disaster Prevention Technology Research Center, Sino Technology Company, Taipei City, Taiwan.
PURPOSE: This study investigated the effectiveness of a theory-based, technology-integrated website in promoting the physical activity of schoolchildren. DESIGN AND METHODS: A website designed using a self-management strategy and supplemented with a geographical information system (GIS) mapping function was used to increase children's physical activity levels. A total of 524 students from six elementary schools in Taipei City completed surveys at three times during 2010 and were assigned to one of three groups: (1) a self-management group, using a website employing a goal-setting strategy and a storytelling schema based on a classical Chinese novel; (2) a knowledge-only group that was given only access to the website; or (3) a control group that was only given lectures and not allowed to access the website. RESULTS: After adjustment for the effects of the pretest, the self-management and knowledge-only groups were found to be more physically active and have higher self-efficacy than the control group. Moreover, the self-management group had higher scores for these two variables than the knowledge-only group. Furthermore, the intervention was more effectives for male students than female students. CONCLUSION: Overall, the self-management website proved to be effective in promoting schoolchildren's physical activity. The positive correlation of self-efficacy with the ability to handle the difficulties inherent in physical activity continued for 3 months after the intervention was completed.
