. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 May 16.

Published in final edited form as: Health Promot Pract. 2016 May 22;17(5):631–647. doi: 10.1177/1524839916647331

APPENDIX A.

Data Source, Definition, and Index Coding Procedures for the STEPs for Physical Activity Promotion Variables

			Index Score Coding Procedure
Variable	Data source	Definition	Green (Full Implementation)	Yellow (Partial Implementation)	Red (No Implementation)
STEPs physical activity foundational index score Schedule level of detail	Document review of schedule	Detailed schedules define activity type (snack, homework, physical activity), location, staff roles, and materials; limited-detail schedules define at least one of the items above, and none indicates the site has no schedule	Detailed schedule	Limited detail	None
Scheduled activity time	Document review of schedule	Total number of minutes dedicated to physical activity opportunities on the after-school programs’ schedule	More than 60 minutes	60 minutes	Less than 60 minutes
Physical activity is the only option	Document review of schedule	Total number of minutes dedicated exclusively to physical activity (i.e., children must choose a physical activity)	More than 60 minutes	60 minutes	Less than 60 minutes
Number of days all staff wore physically active clothing	Direct observation	Active clothing defined as clothes that would not restrict staff from participating in activity with children (e.g., tennis shoes)	Every day	Some days	No days
Days a schedule was posted	Direct observation	Schedule posted in plain sight of parents at the program	Every day	Some days	No days
STEPs physical activity quality index score Staff giving instructions	SOSPAN^a	Staff are giving instructions (i.e., other than PA instructions) to children	Observed rarely^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed most^b
Staff disciplining children	SOSPAN^a	Children are being disciplined by staff	Observed rarely^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed most^b
Idle time	SOSPAN^a	Children are not engaged in any specific activity and are awaiting instructions from staff	Observed rarely^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed most^b
Staff withholding PA	SOSPAN^a	Staff member removes a child from physical activity (i.e., present or future) or threatens to remove a child from physical activity (i.e., present or future) as a consequence for behavior	Observed rarely^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed most^b
Children wait for their turn	SOSPAN^a	Children waiting their turn to play/participate	Observed rarely^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed most^b
Elimination games	SOSPAN^a	Physical activity eliminates children from physical activity opportunities as it progresses	Observed rarely^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed most b
Small team games	SOSPAN^a	Children are divided into several small games (no more than 5 per team) instead of one large game	Observed most^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed rarely^b
Staff playing with children	SOSPAN^a	Staff member is participating in physical activity with the children	Observed most^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed rarely^b
Staff verbally encouraging children	SOSPAN^a	Staff member verbally promotes physical activity (e.g., keep going, awesome job, good effort)	Observed most^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed rarely^b
Choice provided	SOSPAN^a	Children have a choice of PAs in which to participate (i.e., NOT do this or sit)	Observed most^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed rarely^b
Girls-only physical activity option	SOSPAN^a	There is a physical activity opportunity in which only girls participate	Observed most^b	Observed sometimes^b	Observed rarely^b
STEPs healthy eating foundational index score Schedule of daily snack offerings (snack menu)	Direct Observation	The site has a snack menu for the week that the observation took place	Everyday	Some days	No days
Days a snack menu was posted	Direct Observation	Snack menu posted in plain sight of parents at the program	Every day	Some days	No days
Following schedule of daily snack offerings	Direct Observation	The site served what was on the menu the day of the observation	Everyday	Some days	No days
Snack cost	Document review of program receipts	The program leader is aware of the snack budget	Clear snack budget	N/A	Unclear/no snack budget
Location of snack purchases	Document review of program receipts	The program purchases snacks from one or several vendors on a regular basis	One or several vendors	N/A	No consistent vendor
STEPs healthy eating quality index score
Staff eat snacks with children	SOSPAN^a	Staff eat provided snack with the children during snack time	Everyday	Some days	No days
Staff verbally promote healthy eating	SOSPAN^a	Staff verbally encourage children to eat the healthy snack	Everyday	Some days	No days
Staff refrain from eating inappropriate foods in front of children	SOSPAN^a	Staff do not eat other foods in front of children during program time	Everyday	Some days	No days
Staff refrain from drinking inappropriate drinks in front of children	SOSPAN^a	Staff drink only water in front of children during program time	Everyday	Some days	No days
Staff deliver healthy eating education	SOSPAN^a	Staff deliver healthy eating education (e.g., healthy eating coloring sheets/crosswords/word searches, trivia, etc.) to children	More than one observation day	One observation day	No days

NOTE: STEPs = Strategies to Enhance Practice; PA = physical activity.

System for Observing Staff Promotion of Physical Activity and Nutrition.

Observed rarely defined as program is in the lower tertile—lower 33% in relation to other programs at baseline; observed sometimes defined as program in the middle tertile—middle 33% in relation to other programs at baseline; and observed most is defined as program in upper tertile—upper 33% in relation to other programs at baseline.