Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, cilt.41, sa.10, ss.2182-2190, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Background: Understanding physiotherapy students’ attitudes and behaviors toward physical activity (PA) is essential for promoting a healthy lifestyle. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationships between attitudes and behaviors toward PA and factors such as gender, body mass index (BMI), grade, and PA level. Additionally, it explored the associations between PA attitudes and behaviors, actual PA levels, sedentary behavior, and overall well-being in physiotherapy students. Methods: Students’ physical activity, sedentary behavior, attitudes and behaviors toward PA, and well-being were assessed online using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ), Cognitive Behavioral Physical Activity Questionnaire (CBPAQ), and Well-Star Scale (WSS). Results: A total of 254 students participated in the study. Male students reported higher self-regulation (p =.025), whereas females reported higher scores on the personal barriers (p =.028). Overweight students had better self-regulation than those with underweight students (p =.010). Outcome expectation was higher in the fourth-year students than in first-year students (p =.001). Students who reported a high level of PA had higher CBPAQ scores than those with low or moderate levels of PA (p ≤.004). Outcome expectation, self-regulation, and personal barriers were respectively correlated with IPAQ-SF (rho = 0.339, p <.001; rho = 0.451, p <.001; rho = −0.378, p <.001) and WSS (rho = 0.441, p <.001; rho = 0.424, p <.001; rho = −0.253, p <.001). Conclusion: Gender, BMI, grade, and PA level can all be more or less effective in influencing attitudes toward PA of physiotherapy students. Promoting positive attitudes toward PA is essential so physiotherapy students, as future professionals, can be role models for developing a healthier future generation.