Multi-component self-regulation predicts physical activity intention-behaviour profiles in Canadian adults

Despite widespread intentions to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), most fail to follow through, resulting in a persistent intention-behaviour (I-B) gap. The Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) framework highlights reflective, regulatory, and reflexive processes. This study tested multicomponent regulation alongside standard M-PAC predictors and explored age/gender patterns.

Canadian adults (N = 389) completed two online surveys measuring baseline intention and M-PAC processes, followed by MVPA after three weeks. Discriminant function analysis was used to examine whether demographic predictors and M-PAC constructs differentiated I-B profiles.

Four I-B profiles emerged-non-intenders (14.7%), active non-intenders (1.5%), unsuccessful intenders (46.5%), and successful intenders (37.3%), yielding an I-B gap of 55.5% among intenders. Each M-PAC construct statistically significantly predicted I-B profile membership (p < .01). Among regulatory processes, proactive regulation (r = .63) and reactive regulation (r = .60) had the strongest correlations with the primary discriminant function, followed by self-monitoring (r = .37) and social monitoring (r = .19). Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested broadly similar M-PAC profile-discrimination patterns across age-gender strata, with perceived opportunity differing between younger women and older men.

Findings support the utility of M-PAC's reflective, regulatory, and reflexive processes, including multi-component regulation, for differentiating I-B profiles. M-PAC process patterns were broadly similar across age and gender strata in this sample, but confirmation with larger, and more balanced stratified samples is warranted.