Comparison of attitude towards compulsory physical activity at the university among students from Latvia and Belarus in the context of experience in physical education

Abstract

Students’ attitude towards compulsory physical activity at the university has not been extensively studied in the context of their experience in physical education and existing multiple interpretations of criteria for assessing the experience in physical education. The goal of the research is – to determine the attitude towards compulsory physical activity at the University of University Students from Latvia and Belarus by assessing their experience in physical education, determining the indicator “Students’ experience in physical education” based on the attitude criteria of the Theory of Planed Behaviour (TPB). The questionnaire involved 145 students (20.3±1.9) from the Riga Technical University and 111 students (19.1±1.1) from the Belarusian State University of Physical Training from the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality. Methods: The T-test was used for independent and dependent samples, as well as factor analysis, correlation analysis, and linear regression. Results: In both countries, a scale based on the TPB criteria measures the indicator “Students’ attitude towards physical education” at all school periods. The indicator “Students’ experience in physical education” can be assessed according to the developed TPB attitude criteria. The results show a statistically significant correlation between the experience in physical education gained at high school and the students’ attitude towards compulsory physical activity at the University.