The transtheoretical model: Changes in health beliefs among female adolescents in Iran during 3 years

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to track adolescents’ attitudes towards changes in their health behavior considering perceived benefit and barrier in different stages of physical activity during a three-year transitional period from junior high school to high school. METHODS: Data were collected amongst female adolescents in 2010 (n = 558) using random cluster sampling method, of whom 400 were provided by follow-up data in 2013. The stages of change and health beliefs regarding physical activity were measured using self-reported questionnaires. The research data were, then, analyzed in statistical analysis system (SAS), using inferential statistics. RESULTS: The baseline participants had a mean age of 14.28 ± 1.54 and at follow-up were 17.52 ± 1.82. At the baseline and follow-up, proportions of participants in pre-adaption and adaption stages were 26.7%-73.3% and 72.3%-27.7%, respectively. At baseline, pre-contemplators showed significantly lower positive attitude and greater agreement for most of the barrier items than those on other stages. In the baseline, female in action and maintenance stages endorsed greatest agreement for the barrier item i.e. having too much homework. In comparison to females, in the maintenance stage pre-contemplators were more likely to agree that a "not knowing how to do a certain type of exercise"(OR = 10.30, CI = 4.42-23.99). At the follow-up, in the pre-contemplators and maintenance stages, the greatest amount of agreement for the barrier item was "not enough time". CONCLUSION: This study revealed transition from junior high school to high school and showed lower physical activity in females. Consequently, perceived barriers increased and perceived benefits decreased in the transition from junior high school to high school.