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Predicting Parental Co-Participation in Walking using the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Elliott M, Douglas H, Gifford E, Harkness L, MacPherson I et al. · 3 Jul 2026

Abstract

Interventions that increase co-participation in walking between parents and children, particularly primary school-aged children, are likely to generate important health benefits. To identify potentially suitable targets for interventions, we tested the extent to which the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) could predict co-participation in walking for three journey types: school journeys; non-school journeys (e.g., going to a friend’s house of the shops); and leisure journeys (e.g. walking around a park or the neighbourhood). Parents of primary school children (N=128) completed online questionnaires measuring the TPB’s constructs with respect to each target behaviour and, one month later, their reported frequency of each target behaviour. The TPB accounted for 33%-76% of the variance in the measures of behaviour and 36%-69%% of the variance in the measures of intentions to behave. Intention and perceived behavioural control independently predicted all three types of walking behaviour. Attitude and perceived behavioural control, but not subjective norm, independently predicted intentions to perform all three types of walking behaviour. The results, therefore, supported the application of the TPB within this novel transportation and health context. Future interventions to increase parent-child co-participation in walking might usefully aim to promote positive parental attitudes and perceptions of control.