1. The study of the factors that may affect exercise adherence is warranted by the known
benefits of exercise on several facets of health. The self-determination theory (Deci &
Ryan, 1985) presents a rationale for the study of the motivational factors, in which the
satisfaction of the basic psychological needs (BPN) will lead to autonomous types of
motivation, resulting on better adherence and psychological well-being (PWB).
Furthermore, the exercise-affect connection is becoming an inevitable subject of study,
being incorporated as one of the fundamental pillars underpinning exercise prescription
guidelines (Ekkekakis, Hargreaves & Parfitt, 2013), becoming, as well, as an important
factor regarding adherence to exercise.
This study aimed at the analysis of the indirect effects of the quality of motivation on the
relation between need satisfaction and emotional response to exercise.
This cross-sectional study sample was comprised by 904 fitness club members (353
Male, 548 Women, average attendance M=3.32; DP=0,03). Participants fulfilled the
PNSE, BREQ-2, PANAS and SEES for the analysis of the basic psychological need
satisfaction, motivational regulations and emotional response to exercise, respectively.
The set of analysis addressed the mediating role of self-determination motivational
regulation in the relation of the satisfaction of psychological basic needs with a) the
positive and negative activation, and b) emotional response to exercise. The indirect
effect analysis followed the procedures set forward by Preacher and Hayes (2008).
Bivariate correlation analysis between psychological constructs were also made.
Analysis of the indirect effects of the quality of motivation on the relation between
need satisfaction and emotional response to exercise
Teixeira, DS1, 2 & Palmeira, AL1, 3
1 Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, ULHT, Portugal
2 Sport Sciences Department, ISCE, Portugal
3 CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
Study Framework
Objective
Results
Conclusions
Figure 1 – Competence is negatively associated with controlled types of motivation and
positively associated with autonomous types (both models). A positive indirect effect for
intrinsic motivation (both), external regulation (PWB) and amotivation (PA) was found.
Figure 2 – The same associations between competence, autonomous/controlled
types of motivation were observed. There is a negative indirect effect of the more
controlled types of motivation on PD. For NA, the negative indirect effect occurs only
in external regulation.
In this study we analyzed the mediation role of motivational regulations in the relationship of BPN and emotional response to exercise. The autonomous types of motivation
and the need satisfaction were positively associated with PWB and negatively with psychological distress (PD, all p<.05). No associations were found with fatigue. The
multiple mediation models showed that PWB was predicted by the needs satisfaction (26 to 29.2%). Therefore, the needs satisfaction increased intrinsic motivation and
decreased external regulation, which in turn increased PWB. The competence and autonomy models also predicted PD (21.4 to 20.8%). In these models a negative
indirect effect was found for amotivation and external regulation in which the needs satisfaction decreased amotivation and external regulation which in turn decreased PD.
The satisfaction of the basic psychological needs related to exercise in the context of gyms and health clubs predicts better exercise emotional experiences. This
association is partially explained by the increase in autonomous and decrease in controlled motivational regulations that the exerciser develops. These results warrant the
need to have exercise professionals that are knowledgeable of how to create need support contexts for the exerciser, in order to increase the adherence and psychological
well-being in the exercise settings.
BPN
(Competence)
Positive
Activation
Psyc. Well
Being
Amotivation
External
regulation
Introjected
regulation
Intrinsic
regulation
Identified
regulation
Total: 0,56***; Direct: 0,44***
R2 = 25%**
R2 = 29%**
Total: 0,35***; Direct: 0,19*
Indirect: 0,12¥
Amotivation
BPN
(Competence)
Negative
Activation
Psyc. Distress
External
regulation
Introjected
regulation
Intrinsic
regulation
Identified
regulation
Total: -0,14***; Direct: -0,09***
R2 = 13%**
R2 = 21%**
Total: -0,1***; Direct: -0,06***
IV
M
DV
a b
c’
Mediation Analysis Process
Mediation hipotheses posits how, or
by what means, an independent
variable (IV) affects a dependent
variable (DV) through one or more
potential intervening variables or
mediators (M) (Preacher and
Hayes, 2008).
The design used in this study involves simultaneous mediation by Multiple Variables
or Multiple Mediation.
ECSS 2014, 19th Annual Congress, 2nd – 5th July, Amsterdam - The Netherlands
References:
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum
Ekkekakis, P., Hargreaves, E. a., & Parfitt, G. (2013). Invited Guest Editorial: Envisioning the next fifty years of research on the exercise–affect
relationship. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(5), 751–758. doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2013.04.007
Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator
models. Behav Res Methods, 40(3), 879-891.
diogo.sts.teixeira@gmail.com
Methods
Indirect effect analysis of BPN,
motivational regulations and
emotional response to exercise
Indirect: 0,16¥
Indirect: -0,05¥
Indirect: -0,04¥
¥ – The 95% CI of the Bias and
Corrected and Accelerated estimate
indicate a significant indirect effect.
Positive ind. effect
Negative ind. effect
*p<.05; **p<.01; ***p<.001
Arrow – Significance