Gender and Age as Factors Implicated in Physical Self-efficacy among Adolescents

Abstract

The study investigated gender and age as factors impacting physical self-efficacy among adolescents. A total of 110 participants comprising 52 male (26 early26 late school age) and 58 female (20 early/32 late school age) adolescents were drawn from a population of Modern Ideal College, Abakpa Nike Enugu in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. They were selected making use of available sampling technique. The participants were within the ages of 12-23 years with a mean age of 16.1 and standard deviation of 1.8 years. Based on survey research design the participants were administered a 22-item questionnaire measuring physical self efficacy (Ryckman et al., 1982; Nworah, 1999) and a 2x2 Anova using method of unweighted means was applied to analyze the data. The findings indicated significant differences between young and adult university undergraduate F(1,100) = 25.65 at p<.01; and between male and female university undergraduates  F(1,100) = 17.05 at p<.01; and significant interaction between age and gender on physical self efficacy F(1,100) = 8.18 at p<.01 The findings were discussed in relation to literatures reviewed and suggestions made.