Predicting exercise behaviour in Iranian college students: Utility of an integrated model of health behaviour based on the transtheoretical model and self-determination theory
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online January, 2013
Predicting exercise behaviour in Iranian college students: Utility of an integrated model of health behaviour based on the transtheoretical model and self-determination theory
The purpose of this study was to evaluate an integrated theoretical model of health behaviour based on constructs from the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) and Self-determination Theory (SDT).
Design:
Cross-sectional.
Methods:
Participants (N = 418) were students from five medical sciences universities located in northern Iran. Participants completed translated versions of Godin and Shephard’s Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ) and another questionnaire which included a range of constructs from the TTM and SDT. Data were analyzed using bivariate correlation and structural equation modeling.
Results:
The relationships between exercise behaviour and all of the constructs from the TTM and SDT (except external regulation) were statistically significant. The modified model provided a good fit to the data and explained 82% of the variance in current exercise behaviour. All of the structural pathways, with the exception of pros and cons, were significant and positive.
Conclusions:
Study findings support the application of an integrated model of health behaviour combining constructs from the TTM and SDT to explain the exercise behaviour of Iranian college students.
WarburtonDERNicolCWBredinSSD. Health benefits of physical activity: The evidence (review). Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2007: 174(7): 801–9.
2.
RhodesREPlotnikoffRCCourneyaKS. Predicting the physical activity intention-behavior profiles of adopters and maintainers using three social cognition models. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2008: 36(3): 244–52.
IrwinJ. Prevalence of university students’ sufficient physical activity: A systematic review. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2004: 98: 927–43.
5.
American College Health Association. The American College Health Association national college health assessment: Spring 2003 reference group report. Journal of American College Health, 2005: 55(5): 199–210.
6.
HaaseASteptoeASallisJFWardleJ. Leisure-time physical activity in university students from 23 countries: Associations with health beliefs, risk awareness, and national economic development. Preventive Medicine, 2004: 39(1): 182–90.
7.
SheikholeslamRMohamadAMohammadKVaseghiS. Non-communicable disease risk factors in Iran. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004: 13(Suppl 12): S100.
8.
KelishadiRSadriGTavasoliAAKahbaziMRoohafzaHRSadeghiM. Cumulative prevalence of risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in Iranian adolescents: IHHP-HHPC. Jornal de Pediatria, 2005: 81(6): 447–53.
9.
KeatingXDGuanJPineroJCBridgesDM. A meta-analysis of college students physical activity behaviors. Journal of American College Health, 2005: 54(2): 116–25.
10.
ProchaskaJOMarcusBH. The transtheoretical model: applications to exercise. In: DishmanRK (ed.) Advances in Exercise Adherence. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1994, 161–80.
11.
SpencerLAdamsTBMaloneSRoyLYostE. Applying the transtheoretical model to exercise: A systematic and comprehensive review of the literature. Health Promotion Practice, 2006: 7: 428–43.
12.
Marcus BH, Forsyth LH. Motivating People to be Physically Active. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2003.
13.
MarcusBHSimkinLR. The transtheoretical model: Applications to exercise behavior. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 1994: 26(11): 1400–4.
JanisIIMannL. Decision Making: A Psychological Analysis of Conflict, Choice and Commitment. New York: Free Press, 1977.
16.
KimYH. Application of the transtheoretical model to identify psychological constructs influencing exercise behavior: a questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2007: 44(6): 936–44.
17.
LeendersN. Assessment of physical activity, exercise self-efficacy and stage of change in college students using a street-based survey method. American Journal of Health Education, 2002: 33: 199–205.
18.
AdamsJWhiteM. Are activity promotion interventions based on the transtheoretical model effective? A critical review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2003: 37(2): 106–14.
19.
BiddleSJNiggCR. Theories of exercise behavior. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 2000: 31: 290–304.
20.
DaleyAJDudaJL. Self-determination, stage of readiness to change for exercise ,and frequency of physical activity in young people. European Journal of Sport Science, 2006: 6(4): 231–43.
21.
LippkeSPlotnikoffRC. Stages of change in physical exercise: a test of stage discrimination and nonlinearity. American Journal of Health Behavior, 2006: 30(3): 290–301.
22.
DeciELRyanRM. The general causality orientations scale: Self-determination in personality. Journal of Research in Personality, 1985: 19: 109–34.
23.
LandryJBSolmonMA. Self-determination theory as an organizing framework to investigate women’s physical activity behavior. Quest, 2002: 54: 332–54.
24.
RyanRMDeciEL. Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 2000: 55: 68–78.
25.
DeciELRyanRM. The ‘what’ and ‘why’ of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 2000: 11: 227–68.
26.
FrederickCMMorrisonCManningT. Motivation to participate, exercise affect, and outcome behaviors toward physical activity. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1996: 82(2): 691–701.
27.
PelletierLGFortierMSVallerandRJBriereNM. Associations among perceived autonomy support, forms of self-regulation, and persistence: a prospective study. Motivation & Emotion, 2001: 25(4): 279–306.
28.
RyanRMFrederickCMLepesDRubioNSheldonKM. Intrinsic motivation and exercise adherence. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 1997: 28: 335–54.
29.
WilsonPMRodgersWMBlanchardCMGessellJ. The relationship between psychological needs, self-determined motivation, exercise attitudes and physical fitness. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2003: 33(11): 2373–92.
30.
PintrichPR. A motivational science perspective on the role of student motivation in learning and teaching contexts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 2003: 95: 667–86.
31.
EpsteinLH. Integrating theoretical approaches to promote physical activity. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1998: 15(4): 257–65.
32.
LandryJBSolomonMA. African American women’s self-determination across the stage of change for exercise. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 2004: 26(3): 457–69.
33.
MullanEMarklandD. Variations in self-determination across the stages of change for exercise in adults. Motivation & Emotion, 1997: 21: 349–62.
34.
RoseEAParfittGWilliamsS. Exercise causality orientations, behavioral regulations for exercise and stage of change for exercise: Exploring their relationships. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 2005: 6: 399–414.
35.
MarcusBHRossiJSSelbyVCNiauraRSAbramsDB. The stages and processes of exercise adoption and maintenance in a worksite sample. Health Psychology, 1992: 11: 386–95.
36.
GodinGShephardRJ. A simple method to assess exercise behaviour in the community. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Science, 1985: 10: 141–6.
37.
NiggCRNormanGJRossiJSBenisovichSV. Processes of exercise behavior change: Redeveloping the scale. Paper presented at the Science Based Medicine Conference, March1999.
38.
NiggCRRiebeDRossiJSStillwellKMGarberCEBurbankPM. Do the Transtheoretical model instruments for exercise behavior apply to older adults?Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2001: 33: S149.
39.
NiggCRRiebeD. The transtheoretical model: Research review of exercise behavior and older adults In: BurbankPMRiebeD (eds) Promoting Exercise and Behavioral Change in Older Adults. New York: Springer, 2002, 147–80.
40.
PlotnikoffRCBlanchardCHotzSBRhodesR. Validation of the decisional balance scales in the exercise domain from the Transtheoretical model: A longitudinal test. Measurement in Physical Education & Exercise Science, 2001: 5: 191–206.
41.
MullanEMarklandDIngledewDK. A graded conceptualization of self-determination in the regulation of exercise: Development of a measure using confirmatory factor analytic procedures. Personality & Individual Differences, 1997: 23: 745–52.
42.
WilsonPMRogersWTRodgersWMWildTC. The psychological need satisfaction in exercise scale. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 2006: 28: 231–51.
43.
BanvilleDDesrosiersPGenet-VoletY. Translating questionnaires and inventories using a cross-cultural translation technique. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 2000: 19: 374–87.
BrowneMWCudeckR. Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In: BollenKALongJS (eds) Testing Structural Equation Models. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1993, 136–62.
46.
TabachnickBGFidellLS. Using Multivariate Statistics (5th edition). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 2007.
47.
ByrneBM. Structural Equation Modeling with LISREL, PRELIS, and SIMPLIS: Basic Concepts, Applications, and Programming. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1998.
48.
FallonEAHausenblasHANiggCR. The transtheoretical model and exercise adherence: Examining construct associations in later stages of change. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 2005: 7: 1–13.
49.
LowtherMMutrieNScottEM. Promoting physical activity in a socially and economically deprived community: A 12 month randomized control trial of fitness assessment and exercise consultation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2002: 20: 577–88.
50.
LevySSCardinalBJ. Factors associated with transitional shifts in college students’ physical activity behavior. Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport, 2006: 77(4): 476–85.
51.
GoudasMBiddleSJUnderwoodM. A prospective study of the relationships between motivational orientations and perceived competence with intrinsic motivation and achievement in a teacher education course. Educational Psychology, 1995: 15: 89–96.
52.
WilsonPMRodgersWMFraserSNMurrayTC. Relationships between exercise regulations and motivational consequences in university students. Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport, 2004: 75(1): 81–91.
53.
SallisJFOwenN. Physical activity and behavioural medicine. London: Sage Publications, 1999.
54.
BuckworthJGranelloDHBelmoreJ. Incorporating personality assessment in to counseling to help college students adopt and maintain exercise behavior. Journal of College Counseling, 2002: 5: 15–25.
55.
SullumJClarkMMKingTK. Predictors of exercise relapse in a college population. Journal of American College Health, 2000: 48(4): 175–80.
56.
CardinalBJKosmaM. Self-efficacy and the stages and processes of change associated with adopting and maintaining muscular fitness-promoting behaviors. Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport, 2004: 75(2): 186–96.
57.
MarshallSBiddleS. The transtheoretical model of behavior change: A meta-analysis of applications to physical activity and exercise. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2001: 23: 229–46.
58.
WallaceLSBuckworthJ. Application of the transtheoretical model to exercise behavior among non-traditional college students. American Journal of Health Education, 2001: 32: 39–47.
59.
HeeschKC. The association between number of homework assignments completed during a lifestyle physical activity intervention and scores on Transtheoretical measures. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 2006: 18: 83–96.
60.
CallaghanPEvesFFNormanPChangAMLungCY. Applying the transtheoretical model of change to exercise in young Chinese people. British Journal of Health Psychology, 2002: 7: 267–82.
61.
LewisBAMarcusBHPateRRDunnAL. Psychosocial mediators of physical activity behavior among adults and children. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2002: 23(2 Suppl): 26–35.
62.
LubansDRFosterCBiddleSJH. A review of mediators of behavior in interventions to promote physical activity among children and adolescents. Preventive Medicine, 2008: 47: 463–70.
