Walking to school: Community design and child and parent barriers

• Published in: Journal of environmental psychology Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 45 - 51
• Main Authors: Napier, Melissa A., Brown, Barbara B., Werner, Carol M., Gallimore, Jonathan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.03.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Barriers; Biological and medical sciences; Bismaleimides; Body Mass Index; Children; Communities; Community design; Demographics; Educational psychology; Environmental; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; LEED-ND pilot; New urbanism; Parents; Perceived barriers; Perception; Perceptions; Physical activity; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Pupil and student. Academic achievement and failure; Walk to school; Walkability; Walking; New urbanism; Walking; Environmental; Perceived barriers; Physical activity; Perceptions; Community design; Walkability; Walk to school; LEED-ND pilot; Human; Physical exercise; Accessibility; Parent; School environment; School age; Town planning; Child; Community
• ISSN: 0272-4944; 1522-9610
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.04.005

The roles of community design and parent and child perceptions of walkability to school are tested for associations with walking in three communities: a walkable new urbanist community, a mixed community (standard suburban community where the walk to school traversed part of the new urbanist community), and less walkable standard suburban community. Perceived environmental barriers to walking to school are measured and compared for fifth graders ( n = 193) and their parents ( n = 177). Results showed that children and parents often agreed on walking barriers, except an interaction showed that — in the less walkable community — parents perceived worse barriers than did their children. Perceptions of barriers increased from walkable, to mixed, to less walkable communities. Students walked more when they attended the school in the walkable community, they lived near school, parents and children perceived fewer barriers to walking, and children had lower BMI scores, net of demographic controls. Thus the walk to school is embedded within multiple types of supports, all of which should be addressed to encourage walking to school.