Measuring and Comparing Physical Education Teachers’ Perceived Attributes of CSPAPs: An Innovation Adoption Perspective

Abstract

Purpose : Drawing from the diffusion of innovations theory, this study aimed to develop a survey to measure physical education teachers’ perceived attributes of comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) and examine the differences between adopters’ and potential adopters’ perceived attributes. Method : The authors created an electronic survey and e-mailed it to 2,955 physical education teachers identified from a random sample of all public schools in the United States. The participants’ ( N = 407) responses were analyzed using the exploratory structural equation modeling framework. Results : The exploratory structural equation modeling yielded five factors: (a) compatibility, (b) relative advantage, (c) observability, (d) simplicity, and (e) trialability (χ 2 / df = 3.2; root mean square error of approximation = .074; comparative-fit index = .983; Tucker–Lewis index = .971; weighted root mean residual = .668). Compared with potential adopters, teachers who had already adopted a CSPAP perceived CSPAPs as simpler to implement but less trialable. Discussion/Conclusion : This study advances the measurement for CSPAP implementation and offers insight into program attributes that merit a targeted focus in efforts to increase CSPAP adoption.