Self-concept, motor Fitness and physical activity of adolescents in cultural contexts - A longitudinal cross-cultural study between Germany and Nigeria

The present longitudinal cross-cultural study involving an African developing country (Nigeria) and a Western industrial nation (Germany) aims at analyzing culture-specific characteristics and cross-cultural similarities regarding the physical activity behavior of Nigerian and German adolescents. The aim of the main study is to explore the role of pa for the self-concept and motor ability in a cross-cultural context. Nigeria is in this context an example of an African developing country with a collectivistic culture, whereas Germany, on the other hand, is an example of an industrial nation with an individualistic culture.The development of physical activity (pa) lifestyle takes place in the context of culture. In industrial nations such as Germany sport takes place in organized structures. Leisure time pa has strongly been decreasing (WHO, 2004). In the Nigerian culture, however, leisure time pa are strongly anchored. Furthermore the study conducted by Wästlund, Norlunder & Archer (2001) shows that African adolescents have in general an overall more positive self-concept than Asian or American adolescents. By participating in leisure time pa more facets of the self-concept and motor ability could be addressed than in the participation in organized sports. So far there hasn't been any research in cross-cultural studies comparing the self-concept, motor ability and pa. The aim of the main study is to explore the role of pa for the self-concept and motor ability in a cross-cultural context.Nigerian and German adolescents aged 10 to 15 and coming from rural areas are the target group of the present cross-cultural study. The self-concept has been measured with the SDQ II and PSDQ (Marsh, 2005, 2010) and the motor ability with the German-Motor-Test (DMT 6-18, Bös et al., 2009).