McCormack, Gavin RobertNettel-Aguirre, AlbertoSwanson, Kenda Charlotte2017-01-032017-01-0320162016Swanson, K. C. (2016). Changes in Peer Friendships and Physical Activity among Children across School-Grade Transition (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25249http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3533Children’s physical activity (PA) may be affected by transitioning school grade; however, limited evidence exists on the associations between aspects of children’s peer friendships and their PA over the transition to a new school year. This thesis addressed this gap by examining whether or not associations between children’s peer friendships; including, popularity, number of sent friendship nominations, and friend’s average PA were associated with individual PA pre-, post- and over the transition to a higher school grade. We found that sent friendships and friends’ average PA were positively associated with an individual’s PA pre- and post-transition, and that changes in friendships did not directly correspond with PA changes over the transition. We did not identify differences according to sex. Future studies should employ social network analysis and longitudinal study designs to further examine these relationships. School-based interventions that promote friendly interactions among peers while simultaneously increasing PA are recommended.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Public HealthPsychology--BehavioralchildrenadolescentsPhysical Activityschool grade transitionpeer friendshipsmaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/25249