Predictors of school students' leisure-time physical activity: An extended trans-contextual model using Bayesian path...

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Psychology
• Sports Science

Background:

• Understanding determinants of leisure-time physical activity is crucial for public health.
• The trans-contextual model explains motivation transfer from physical education (PE) to other contexts.
• Implicit processes may also influence physical activity participation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the effects of motivational and social cognition constructs on children's leisure-time physical activity.
• To investigate the role of implicit processes within an extended trans-contextual model.
• To assess the predictive validity of the trans-contextual model in a student sample.

Main Methods:

• Correlational prospective design with secondary school students (N=502 initially, N=298 follow-up).
• Self-report measures assessed perceived autonomy support, motivation, social cognition, intentions, self-control, habits, and past behavior.
• Bayesian path analyses were employed to test the extended model.

Main Results:

• Perceived autonomy support positively influenced autonomous motivation in PE and leisure time.
• Autonomous motivation indirectly related to social cognition and intentions.
• Intention was not a significant predictor of leisure-time physical activity; self-control and past behavior were direct predictors.

Conclusions:

• While autonomous motivation is important, it doesn't solely predict leisure-time physical activity in this sample.
• Self-control and past behavior emerge as significant direct predictors.
• Extending the trans-contextual model with implicit constructs like self-control enhances understanding of physical activity determinants.