Environmental self-identity and active travel among adults and children

Background: Active travel is a pro-environmental behaviour that can make a significant contribution to overall physical activity. However, rates of active travel are low among Australian adults and children. Environmental self-identity (seeing oneself as the kind of person who acts in environmentally friendly ways) could be an important influence on sustainable travel choices.

Aim: To examine associations between environmental self-identity among caregivers and their own and their child’s travel behaviours.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 228 caregivers of primary school children. Caregivers reported their own travel behaviour using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and their child’s usual school travel behaviour. Caregiver environmental self-identity was computed from three items. Linear regression predicted associations between caregiver environmental self-identity and frequency (days/week) of motorised travel, and walking and cycling for travel among caregivers (adjusted for age, gender, area-level SES), and frequency of school travel (trips/week) by private vehicle, walking and cycling among children (adjusted for child age and gender, area-level SES, distance to school).

Results: On average, caregivers travelled by motorised transport 5.9 (SD 1.8), by walking 2.7 (SD 2.5) and by cycling 0.5 (SD 1.3) days/week. Children travelled to/from school by private vehicle 4.9 (SD 3.9), by walking 1.9 (SD 3.2) and by cycling 0.3 (SD 1.2) times/week. Mean caregiver environmental self-identity score was 4.5 (SD 1.3). There was a positive association between environmental self-identity and frequency of walking (b=0.2, 95%CI:-0.0-0.5, p=0.09) and cycling (b=0.2 95%CI:0.1-0.3, p=0.003) among caregivers. Among children, there was a negative association between caregiver environmental self-identity and frequency of children’s travel to/from school by private vehicle (b=-0.3, 95%CI:-0.7-0.05, p=0.083).

Conclusion: There was some evidence that caregiver environmental self-identity shaped their own and their child’s travel behaviour in favour of more sustainable travel. Appealing to environmental concerns may be a promising way to promote sustainable transport.

Funding: No external funding