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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Using a Real-Time Locating System to Measure Walking Activity Associated with Wandering Behaviors Among Institutionalized Older Adults
Published on: February 8, 2019
Older adults' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation toward physical activity
Marie Dacey1, Amy Baltzell, Len Zaichkowsky
1School of Arts and Sciences, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, 179 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. marie.dacey@mcphs.edu
Objectives:
To examine how motives discriminate 3 physical activity levels of inactive, active, and sustained maintainers.
Methods:
Six hundred forty-five adults (M age = 63.8) completed stage-of-change and Exercise Motivations Inventory (EMI-2) scales. Exploratory factor analysis established psychometric properties of the EMI-2 suitable for older adults.
Results:
Six factors emerged in the EMI-2: health and fitness, social/emotional benefits, weight management, stress management, enjoyment, and appearance. Enjoyment contributed most to differentiating activity levels. Moderators of age and gender were delineated.
Conclusions:
Intrinsic motivation and self-determined extrinsic motivation distinguish older adults' activity levels.
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