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Farmer E, Papadopoulos N, Emonson C, Fuelscher I, Pesce C, McGillivray J, Hyde C, Olive L, Rinehart N. A Preliminary Investigation of the Relationship between Motivation for Physical Activity and Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Children Aged 8-12 Years: The Role of Autonomous Motivation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17155584. [PMID: 32756316 PMCID: PMC7432478 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17155584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
While motivation for physical activity (PA) and PA participation have been linked, research on the relationship between motivation for PA and mental health outcomes is scant, with studies involving children largely underrepresented. Grounded in self-determination theory, this cross-sectional study aimed to determine whether autonomous motivation versus external motivation (a form of controlled motivation) for PA is associated with fewer emotional and behavioural difficulties and higher levels of PA in children. A sample of 87 children (aged 8–12 years) were recruited from five primary schools in Victoria, Australia. An adapted version of the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ) was used to measure motivation for PA and structured parent-report questions were used to assess moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels. Parents also completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to measure children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties. Children’s autonomous motivation was associated with fewer emotional and behavioural difficulties (β = −0.25, p = 0.038) and higher levels of MVPA (β = 0.24, p = 0.014). These results indicate autonomous motivation is associated with improved mental health outcomes and higher levels of PA in children. Thus, PA interventions that promote autonomous motivation may enhance children’s mental health compared to interventions that promote mainly controlled forms of motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Farmer
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (E.F.); (C.E.); (J.M.); (C.H.); (N.R.)
| | - Nicole Papadopoulos
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (E.F.); (C.E.); (J.M.); (C.H.); (N.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-3-9244-5295
| | - Chloe Emonson
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (E.F.); (C.E.); (J.M.); (C.H.); (N.R.)
| | - Ian Fuelscher
- Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development (SEED), School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (I.F.); (L.O.)
| | - Caterina Pesce
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy;
| | - Jane McGillivray
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (E.F.); (C.E.); (J.M.); (C.H.); (N.R.)
| | - Christian Hyde
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (E.F.); (C.E.); (J.M.); (C.H.); (N.R.)
| | - Lisa Olive
- Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development (SEED), School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (I.F.); (L.O.)
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | - Nicole Rinehart
- Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; (E.F.); (C.E.); (J.M.); (C.H.); (N.R.)
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