The Associations between Self-Determined Motivation, Multidimensional Self-Efficacy, and Device-Measured Physical Activity

Self-determined motivation (SDT) and self-efficacy theory have been widely used for understanding individuals’ physical activity motivation and self-efficacy. However, there is a gap of evidence on the relations between SDT and multidimensional self-efficacy with device-measured physical activity in healthy adults. Questionnaires including the behavior regulation in exercise questionnaire version 2 (BREQ-2) and the multidimensional self-efficacy for exercise scale (MSES) were completed by the participants at baseline. All participants wore an accelerometer for seven days to record their physical activities at baseline and eight-week follow up. In total, thirty healthy adults completed the study (12 men, 18 women). The results showed that intrinsic motivation and scheduling self-efficacy had significantly positive associations with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity energy expenditure and duration. Multiple regression analysis showed that the relative autonomy index, task and scheduling efficacy could predict physical activity at baseline, but no SDT or self-efficacy variable could predict physical activity behavior after eight weeks. These results showed that the associations between motivation and self-efficacy with physical activity might change within a short period of time, which suggests that the regular assessment of motivation and self-efficacy might be needed in interventional programs to promote continued physical activity participation in healthy adults.

Associations among physical activity tracking, physical activity motivation and level of physical activity in young adults

Whether physical activity (PA) tracking devices are associated with PA motivation in young adults is largely unknown. We compared total PA minutes per week, total minutes walking/week, meeting moderate-to vigorous PA guidelines, and past-year activity tracking across motivation cluster profiles among 799 young adults. Participants with “self-determined” profiles reported the highest total PA minutes/week followed by participants with “low intrinsic,” “controlled self-determined,” and “high external” profiles. A behavior regulation profile X activity tracking frequency interaction was not significant. Behavior regulation profiles may need to be considered in PA interventions using activity trackers.

The Direct and Indirect Relationships of Environmental, Interpersonal and Personal Factors with High School Students Physical Activity: An Ecological Approach

Background: Across countries, young people are not sufficiently physically active. The evidence confirms that beyond demographic and individual agents, individuals participate within their social and physical environment. The ecological model enables a search for the modifiable factors in specific populations, as it allows consideration of factors affecting individuals’ lives on different levels, as well as considering the interplay of those factors. The aim of this study was to examine the complex interconnections among environmental, social capital and motivational factors at different levels, within an ecological model for high school students’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during their leisure time. Methods: This cross-sectional population-based study included 1285 students from 14 to 18 years old, with a mean age of 16.14 ± 1.22. Physical activity, neighborhood physical activity recourses, neighborhood safety, social capital, physical activity motivation and sociodemographic factors were evaluated. Logistic regression, mediation and moderation analyses were performed predicting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during leisure time. Results: In the final multivariate logistic regression model, greater social participation (OR 1.03 [1.01–1.05]), higher relative autonomy index (OR 1.11 [1.06–1.15]) and male gender (OR 1.71 [1.13–2.57]) directly predicted meeting MVPA recommendations. Any significant moderation effects (p > 0.05) of environmental characteristics were not found for the relationship between social capital, motivational factors and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The evidence of positive indirect mediation effects was found in all five models for social capital components as all CIs for its βs do not contain 0, though standardized effect sizes were between 0.02 and 0.07, indicating small effect sizes. Conclusion: These findings provide support for the presence of some direct and indirect pathways from social capital to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Future intervention strategies should focus on strengthening physical activity motivation by encouraging the development of social network and social participation as well as family, neighborhood and school social capital within the framework of the ecological model.

Motor Intervention Program for Improving the Learning of English Vocabulary in Early Childhood Education

Despite the widespread perception that the preschool stage is a physically active stage, current studies indicate that levels of physical activity (PA). Of the different environments in which PA engagement may be promoted, the school setting is one of the most important. Thus, there is a need to investigate further in this area in order to propose research designs and interventions which can be evaluated. An innovative and recently researched method is the integration of movement within classroom activities which goes beyond break time activity and the implementation of government mandated curricular physical education sessions. Specifically, the current chapter addresses the combination of basic physical activity and academic lessons as an approach for teaching English language vocabulary. Results from research studies to have developed interventions using this methodology provide positive outcomes regarding effectiveness in terms of increasing physical activity, motivation, and cognitive performance at early ages.

Brief Anti-Ageism Messaging Effects on Physical Activity Motivation Among Older Adults

When people have more negative perceptions about aging or attribute health decline to old age, they engage in less health promotion behavior. We tested whether an intervention of brief anti-ageism messages addressing views of aging could motivate engagement in physical activities at senior centers. Attendees aged 50 and older ( n = 349; Mage = 72, SD = 9) at seven centers were randomly assigned to read one of three intervention messages (different approaches addressing views of aging) or to not read a message before rating their likelihood of attending a variety of center programs, including physical activities. Multilevel regression models indicated the intervention increased motivation to attend physical activities compared with the control group among participants aged 72 and older. The three anti-ageism messages were similarly effective suggesting some flexibility in framing. The results indicate anti-ageism messages may be a scalable, low-cost approach to promoting physical activity in older adults.

Connections among physical activity, motivation, and depressive symptoms in adolescent girls

Adolescence can be a difficult period of life characterised, among many other things, by a significant increase in depressive symptoms among girls. Recent studies have suggested that sedentary habits and self-determined motivation can be associated with depressive symptoms. The main goal of the present study was to examine the associations between physical activity levels, sedentary behaviours, and self-determined motivation and depressive symptoms in girls during adolescence. A total of 714 adolescent girls (16.53 ± 1.01 years) agreed to participate in the study. They completed a questionnaire including the scale of depressive symptoms, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Situational Motivation Scale. Participants’ smoking habits and body mass index were also assessed. Results showed that those adolescents who performed physical activity of moderate (odds ratio (OR): 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31, 0.99) or high intensity level (OR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.21) had a significantly lower probability of suffering from depressive symptoms. Accordingly, the most sedentary group had a higher probability of suffering from depressive symptoms (OR: 4.90; 95% CI: 2.00, 11.54). Vigorous self-determined motivation was also a significant predictor of the lowest levels of depressive symptoms. In conclusion, results seemed to indicate that educators should promote the most self-determined types of motivation and physical activity habits in their students if they want to help prevent depressive symptoms.