Preschool teachers' intention to organize physical activity: an application of the norm activation model.

Background: Preschool teachers play an important role in providing children with physical activity opportunities. Existing research has focused mainly on teachers' professional competence and organizational environments, while responsibility-related normative correlates of their intention to organize physical activity remain less understood. Guided by the Norm Activation Model (NAM), this study examined associations among awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, personal norms, and intention to organize physical activity. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 582 in-service preschool teachers in China using convenience sampling. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling tested the measurement and structural models. Direct, indirect, and total associations were examined using bias-corrected bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples. Results: The retained partial mediation model showed good fit ( Conclusion: Preschool teachers' intention to organize physical activity was associated with awareness of the developmental consequences of insufficient physical activity, perceived responsibility for addressing them, and a personal obligation to act. This pattern was consistent with NAM. Promotion efforts should connect teachers' understanding of the developmental value of physical activity with clear professional responsibilities and the practical and organizational support needed to provide regular physical activity opportunities in preschool settings.