Date of Award
Summer 6-23-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Kinesiology (PhD)
Department
Kinesiology
First Advisor
Christina Beaudoin
Second Advisor
Carl Schlesser
Third Advisor
Mark Moore
Abstract
This study examined the combined effects of wearable fitness trackers and structured fitness education on physical activity participation, perceived physical competence, and general self-efficacy among inactive and sedentary college students. A six-week randomized pretest-posttest design was used. Undergraduate students aged 18–24 who were not meeting recommended physical activity guidelines were recruited from a private liberal arts university and randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Participants in the experimental group received a wearable fitness tracker along with fitness education sessions integrating Social Cognitive Theory based behavior change techniques including self-monitoring, observational learning, mastery experiences, and goal setting. Measures included Physical Activity Vital Signs, perceived physical competence using the College Student Physical Literacy Questionnaire, and general self-efficacy using the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Repeated measures ANOVA, independent samples t-tests, and correlational analyses were conducted. Results indicated that changes in self-reported physical activity, perceived physical competence, and general self-efficacy occurred in the expected direction but did not reach statistical significance between groups. Secondary correlational analyses identified a strong, statistically significant positive association between change in perceived physical competence and change in general self-efficacy. Exploratory analyses demonstrated that awareness of physical activity recommendations and aerobic exercise knowledge increased significantly across the intervention period. Additional exploratory analyses revealed that objectively measured physical activity engagement was positively associated with improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness. These findings suggest that wearable-supported fitness education may represent a feasible strategy for initiating physical activity behavior among sedentary college students in campus-based health promotion settings.