Declining Physical Activity and Motivation from Middle School to High School

AbstractPurposeTo determine whether naturally-occurring changes in intrinsic motivation, behavioral regulation, and goals mitigate declining physical activity among adolescents.MethodsLatent growth modeling was applied in tests of change in intrinsic motivation, facets of behavioral regulation, and their interactions with goals on change in physical activity measured by accelerometer in a cohort of 260 boys and girls evaluated longitudinally from 6th through 9th grades.ResultsPhysical activity declined less in youths who maintained higher intrinsic motivation or integrated regulation, but only when they maintained higher enjoyment goal compared to other students. Physical activity also declined less in students who maintained higher intrinsic motivation or integrated motivation and had bigger declines in appearance goal (or social and competence goals with intrinsic motivation) compared to students who maintained higher levels of those goals. The interactions correspond to 1 to 2 min per hour less decrease in physical activity.ConclusionConsistent with Self-determination Theory, the findings encourage interventions that target autonomous motivation among youths. The results extend prior evidence in three ways. First, the cohort was tracked for three years using an objective measure of physical activity. Second, influences of intrinsic motivation and integrated regulation on changing physical activity were not direct. They interacted with changing goals, indicating that interventions should also focus on specific goals for physical activity as effect modifiers. Third, interventions focused on autonomous motivation should consider that controlled, introjected motivation may also interact with goals to influence on physical activity during the transition between middle school and high school. Purpose To determine whether naturally-occurring changes in intrinsic motivation, behavioral regulation, and goals mitigate declining physical activity among adolescents. Methods Latent growth modeling was applied in tests of change in intrinsic motivation, facets of behavioral regulation, and their interactions with goals on change in physical activity measured by accelerometer in a cohort of 260 boys and girls evaluated longitudinally from 6th through 9th grades. Results Physical activity declined less in youths who maintained higher intrinsic motivation or integrated regulation, but only when they maintained higher enjoyment goal compared to other students. Physical activity also declined less in students who maintained higher intrinsic motivation or integrated motivation and had bigger declines in appearance goal (or social and competence goals with intrinsic motivation) compared to students who maintained higher levels of those goals. The interactions correspond to 1 to 2 min per hour less decrease in physical activity. Conclusion Consistent with Self-determination Theory, the findings encourage interventions that target autonomous motivation among youths. The results extend prior evidence in three ways. First, the cohort was tracked for three years using an objective measure of physical activity. Second, influences of intrinsic motivation and integrated regulation on changing physical activity were not direct. They interacted with changing goals, indicating that interventions should also focus on specific goals for physical activity as effect modifiers. Third, interventions focused on autonomous motivation should consider that controlled, introjected motivation may also interact with goals to influence on physical activity during the transition between middle school and high school. Author correspondence: Rod K. Dishman, Department of Kinesiology, The University of Georgia, Ramsey Student Center, 330 River Road, Athens, Georgia 30602-6554. rdishman@uga.edu, (706) 542-9840, Facsimile (706) 542-3148 This study was funded by grant number R01HL091002 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The authors have no professional relationships with companies who will benefit from the results of the study. The results are presented clearly, honestly and without fabrication, falsification or inappropriate data manipulation. The results of the study do not constitute endorsement by ACSM. Accepted for Publication: 27 December 2017 © 2018 American College of Sports Medicine

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