Motivation and Intention Toward Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives From Integrated Model of Self-Determination and Planned Behavior Theories

The 100-Days: Physical Exercise and Challenges to Assess, Maintain and Improve Physical Fitness During Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced physical activity and increased sedentary behavior, raising health risks. To combat this, a 100-day training program was designed to maintain and improve fitness during lockdown. This program, which included a challenge with physical assessments and online sessions, aimed to enhance fitness and motivation.

METHODS

Twenty participants (mean age 45.2 ± 12.7 years) with good baseline fitness completed strength, endurance, coordination, and flexibility exercises over 100 days, with monthly challenges. Fitness was assessed at baseline (T0), mid-program (T1), and completion (T2).

RESULTS

Males initially showed higher BMI and mild cardiovascular risks. Flexibility improved for both genders, with females increasing from 12.5 ± 4.51 cm to 14.8 ± 6.65 cm and males from 4.4 ± 6.33 cm to 8.8 ± 10.69 cm. Males' vertical jump height increased from 20.7 ± 13.05 cm to 28.2 ± 10.49 cm. In the challenge, push-up repetitions rose for both genders, achieving excellent scores (>24 reps for females, >25 for males). Males advanced in the repeated crunch test, while females consistently excelled in the repeated squat. Weight and BMI reductions were also observed, particularly in overweight males.

CONCLUSIONS

The 100-day training program, combined with the challenge, effectively sustained physical fitness and motivation among participants during pandemic-related restrictions. Notable strength and endurance improvements were observed across both genders, reinforcing the potential of interactive, remote training programs to promote physical health in periods of limited activity.

Predicting Adolescents' Leisure-Time Physical Activity Levels: A Three-Wave Prospective Test of the Integrated Model of Self-Determination Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior

A three-wave prospective study was conducted to provide a better understanding of the ability of the integrated model of self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict future physical activity (PA) engagement among adolescents. Nearly 2500 secondary school students from China were recruited to test the hypothesized pathway from autonomous motivation from SDT at baseline (T1) through the constructs of TPB one month later (T2) on leisure-time PA levels of secondary school students three months later (T3). The findings revealed that the structural equation models yielded excellent fit indices with χ2 = 1858.989, df = 257, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.926, RMSEA = 0.050 [90% CI = 0.048 to 0.052], and SRMR = 0.032. In particular, autonomous motivation at T1 was positively associated with attitude (R2 = 0.160), subjective norms (R2 = 0.160), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) (R2 = 0.173) at T2 (β = 0.395 to 0.414, p < 0.001) and subsequently associated with intention at T2 (R2 = 0.875, β = 0.112 to 0.478, p < 0.001). T2 intention was positively associated with leisure-time PA levels (R2 = 0.004) at T3. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the motivational mechanisms and social cognition processes involved in predicting adolescents' leisure-time PA levels among adolescents.

The Model of Goal-Directed Behavior in Sports Participation: A Meta-Analysis Comparing Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Eras in the Republic of Korea

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on sports participation worldwide, including in Republic of Korea. Due to the restrictions and safety measures implemented to prevent the spread of the virus, many individuals have had to alter their sports participation. Therefore, this study conducted a meta-analysis based on studies applying the Model of Goal-directed Behavior (MGB) in sports participation to compare the pre- and post-COVID-19 eras in Republic of Korea. By analyzing 18 selected studies involving 5772 Korean respondents, the study investigates the relationships between MGB variables and sports consumption behaviors pre- and post-COVID-19. This study found that all correlations with the MGB were significant, indicating the applicability of the MGB in understanding sports participation in Republic of Korea. Moreover, the moderating effect of COVID-19 was identified in the relationships between subjective norms and desire and between perceived behavioral control and desire. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing sports participation in Republic of Korea. Additionally, the study provides valuable insights for sports managers and policymakers in Republic of Korea to develop strategies and interventions that can promote and support sports participation during challenging times.

Exploring the relationship across autonomous motivation, affects, and anxiety among gym practitioners during the second COVID-19 lockdown

The present study explores the association of autonomous motivation and the relationship of positive and negative affect on anxiety levels among individuals engaged in gym practitioners during the second COVID-19 lockdown. A total of 196 exercisers (29.17 ± 10.77) were enrolled in the present study, of which 112 (57.1%) were women and 84 (42.9%) were men. The survey included sociodemographic data, as well as validated instruments measuring autonomous motivation, positive and negative affect, and anxiety states related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results revealed a positive association between autonomous motivation and positive affect (β = 0.36, CI 0.12, 0.37; p < 0.001), and a negative association between autonomous motivation and negative affect (β = - 0.17, CI - 0.31, - 0.01; p = 0.03). Moreover positive, and negative affect are negatively (β = - 0.33, CI - 0.43, - 0.24; p < 0.001) and positively (β = 0.72, CI 0.57, 0.82; p < 0.001) associated to anxiety, respectively. Thus, this study appears to emphasize the association of autonomous motivation on affect as a potential buffer against anxiety levels, particularly in a context where practitioners found themselves restricted in their usual gym practices.

Influence of social media fitness influencers' credibility on users' physical activity intentions

Objective

This study explores how trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness of fitness influencers affect Chinese users' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to engage in fitness activities on social media. By integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior with source credibility theory, this research examines the effectiveness of digital health communication in China, offering a novel approach.

Methods

Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling, targeting 339 active fitness video viewers on DouYin, China's premier short video platform. The survey was administered via the professional online platform Sojump.com. Participants, active followers of various fitness influencers, engaged with diverse types and durations of fitness videos. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling validated the measurement and structural models, rigorously examining the hypothesized relationships within the study.

Results

Trustworthiness and expertise of influencers significantly influenced users' attitudes and perceived behavioral control, crucially affecting their intentions to engage in fitness activities. Unlike trustworthiness and expertise, attractiveness had no significant impact on subjective norms. Gender did not moderate these effects, indicating a consistent influencer impact across male and female users.

Conclusions

This research underscores the critical role of credible fitness influencers in enhancing engagement with health-promotive behaviors on social media. It emphasizes that authenticity and reliability are more influential than attractiveness in promoting health behaviors. This study advances our understanding of effective health communication on social media and offers practical insights for leveraging influencer credibility in public health campaigns.

COVID-19 pandemic and explicit processes towards physical activity in Brazilian older adults with hypertension

This study investigated the initial three-month impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the explicit processes towards physical activity (PA). In addition, we explored whether potential changes in explicit processes are associated with changes in PA and sedentary behavior (SB). Seventeen older adults (aged 65.7 ± 3.8 years; 76.5% women) with hypertension were included in this longitudinal study performed in Natal, Brazil. Explicit processes (explicit attitude [perceived benefits and cons perceived], social norms, social modeling, self-efficacy, intention and motivation) were evaluated through self-reported questionnaire before (January to March 2020) and during (June 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, PA and SB were measured by accelerometry during seven days. Generalized linear and mixed models were used for data analysis. There was a decrease in the explicit attitudes (β = - 4.8, p = 0.001) and moderate-vigorous PA (β = - 4.8, p = 0.035) during the COVID-19. Changes in the explicit attitudes were associated with the changes in the moderate-vigorous PA (β = - 1.6, 95% CI - 2.9, - 0.3, p = 0.034). No significant changes were found in the additional explicit process measures, time spent doing light PA and SB, and step count. Our findings may suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the explicit attitudes related to PA and contributed to decrease the time spent in the moderate-vigorous PA in older adults with hypertension.

Physical activity behavior during Covid 19 pandemic among Iranian dwellers in Southern Iran based on planned behavior theory: a SEM analysis

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions curtailed physical activity. The current study applied an integrated Theory of Planned Behavior to identify the determinants of physical activity behavior and the processes involved in the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shiraz city, Southern Iran, among 2500 people who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Data were collected using the demographic information questions and questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs. The Questionnaire via WhatsApp, emails, and SMS was shared. Data analysis was performed using SPSS26 and Amos version 24. Mean and standard deviation was used to describe the data. Also, one-way ANOVA and structural equation analysis were used to analyze the data. The significance level in all the tests was considered to be 0.05.

RESULTS

One thousand one hundred sixty-nine samples (46.8%) said they had been exercising less than 3 days a week, and 47.6% of them did not have any exercise or physical activities (n = 1191). The mean score of attitudes, SN, PBC, and intention were 9.38 ± 2.07, 9.27 ± 2.03, 9.32 ± 2.05, and 12.29 ± 2.35, respectively. The effect size values demonstrate the independent variables' high coefficient of influence on explaining the theoretical model. According to the results, the factors play an important role in samples' intention (η2 ≥ 0.2, p ≤ 0.05). The effect size of intention on doing physical activities and exercise during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is Eta square = 0.777, which means the measure was high. The obtained model was good based on the main goodness of fit indices (Chi2 = 108.6, df = 25, n = 2500, Chi2/df = 4.344, RMSEA = 0.036, AGFI = 0.92, CFI = 0.95, GFI = 0.90, Fornell-Larcker criterion = 0.87, HTMT = 0.89).

CONCLUSION

The TPB provides a useful framework to explore psychosocial determinants of physical activity behavior during the pandemic and identify key strategies for program planning aimed at improving exercise among people who were already influenced by quarantine and lockdown restrictions.

The Effects of Active Video Game Exercise Based on Self-Determination Theory on Physical Fitness and Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Background: Aging and physical inactivity are associated with declines in physical fitness and cognitive function. Active video games have proven to be beneficial for the physical health of older adults, but the exact effect of active video games on physical fitness and cognitive function was still unclear. Based on self-determination theory (SDT), which is a widely used theory of healthy behavior change, this study aimed to explore the effects of an active video game intervention on fitness and cognitive function in older adults. Methods: A total of 38 participants (mean age = 65.68 ± 3.78 years, 24 female) were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (active video game training) or a control group (no additional intervention). The participants in the intervention group trained for a total of 36 sessions (3 times per week for 50–55 min each) for 12 weeks. The control group continued with their normal daily living. The pre- and posttest measurements included: IPAQ-C score and physical fitness (BMI, body fat percent, blood pressure, reaction time, sit and reach, vital capacity, grip strength, static balance, blood biochemical tests for liver function, kidney function, blood lipids, glucose and insulin levels) and cognitive functions (processing speed, spatial ability, working memory, language ability, associative memory). Result: The intervention group showed a significantly smaller decrease in total average physical activity relative to the control group. BMI, vital capacity, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and spatial cognition significantly improved after training in the intervention group (BMI: F = 9.814, p = 0.004, d = −0.93, vital capacity: F = 4.708, p = 0.038, d = 0.67, systolic blood pressure: F = 5.28, p = 0.028, d = −0.68, diastolic blood pressure: F = 6.418, p = 0.016, d = −0.86, spatial cognition: F = 8.261, p = 0.007, d = 0.72). Three measures of static balance (closed eyes) also showed improvements after training (total length of swing: F = 3.728, d = −0.62, total velocity of swing: F = 3.740, d = −0.62, total area of swing: F = 2.920, d = −0.70). No significant training effects were evident in the results from the blood biochemical tests. Conclusion: This study indicates a positive influence of active video game training on physical fitness and cognitive function. The use of SDT-based active video game exercise as a feasible, safe, and effective training method for improving community older adults’ healthy, promoting group cohesion, and increasing motivation to exercise.

Social cognition theories and behavior change in COVID-19: A conceptual review

The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented health, economic, and social consequences worldwide. Although contact reductions and wearing face coverings have reduced infection rates, and vaccines have reduced illness severity, emergence of new variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and the shift from pandemic to endemic patterns of infection, highlights the importance of ongoing preventive behavior adherence to manage future outbreaks. Research applying social cognition theories may assist in explaining variance in these behaviors and inform the development of efficacious behavior change interventions to promote adherence. In the present article, we summarize research applying these theories to identify modifiable determinants of COVID-19 preventive behaviors and the mechanisms involved, and their utility in informing interventions. We identify limitations of these applications (e.g., overreliance on correlational data, lack of long-term behavioral follow-up), and suggest how they can be addressed. We demonstrate the virtue of augmenting theories with additional constructs (e.g., moral norms, anticipated regret) and processes (e.g., multiple action phases, automatic processes) to provide comprehensive, parsimonious behavioral explanations. We also outline how the theories contribute to testing mechanisms of action of behavioral interventions. Finally, we recommend future studies applying these theories to inform and test interventions to promote COVID-19 preventive behavior adherence.