Gender Influence on Students, Parents, and Teachers’ Perceptions of What Children and Adolescents in Germany Need to Cycle to School: A Concept Mapping Study

• Main Authors: Dorothea M. I. Schönbach, Catherina Vondung, Lisan M. Hidding, Teatske M. Altenburg, Mai J. M. Chinapaw, Yolanda Demetriou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: childhood; adolescence; sex; active commuting to school; bicycle
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6872
• ISSN: 1661-7827; 1660-4601

Active commuting to school is highly recommended for several reasons, and in the decision-making process for doing so, a child interacts with parents and teachers. Until now, these three interactors’ gender-specific perspectives on children and adolescents’ need for cycling to school have been unavailable. Thus, our concept mapping study analyzed the needs of 12- to 15-year-olds in Germany for cycling to and from school daily, as perceived by students, parents, and teachers stratified by gender. From November 2019 to February 2020, 136 students, 58 parents, and 29 teachers participated. Although 87.8% of girls and 100% of boys owned a bicycle, only 44.4% of girls and 72.9% of boys cycled to school. On average, girls cycled to school on 1.6 ± 2.0 days a week and boys on 2.7 ± 2.0 days a week. A “bicycle and related equipment,” the “way to school,” and “personal factors” were reported needs, perceived by students and teachers of both genders and by mothers. Girls reported the additional gender-specific need for “social behavior in road traffic,” mothers and female teachers reported “role of parents,” and female teachers reported a “sense of safety.” This study’s findings could inspire the development of school-based bicycle interventions.