Development and Validation of Chinese University Students' Physical Activity Motivation Scale Under the Constraint of Physical Education Policies.

Bo Lin,Tingting Yan,Eng Wah Teo

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.722635

Abstract

The accurate measurement of university students’ motivation to participate in physical activity (PA) is a prerequisite to developing better physical fitness programs. However, motivation driven by government policies, i.e., physical education policies, are often excluded from many existing scales. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a psychometric instrument based on self-determination theory that exclusively measures the motivation of Chinese university students to participate in PA. A total of 1,215 university students who regularly participated in PA at five universities in China constituted the final valid sample. Sample 1 (n = 311) was used to determine the underlying factor structure of the initial Chinese University Students’ Physical Activity Motivation Scale (CUSPAMS) through exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Sample 2 (n = 330) was used to test the model fit of the EFA-derived factor structure and data through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and to test the internal consistency of each factor and of the whole scale. Sample 3 (n = 574) was used to confirm the model stability and criterion validity. Finally, 177 individuals were randomly selected from Sample 3 to perform test–retest reliability. Preliminary evidence showed that the nine-factor CUSPAMS, consisting of 32 items, yielded good psychometric characteristics. The development of the CUSPAMS provides an opportunity to improve current theories and practices regarding the assessment of PA motivation. The CUSPAMS is recommended for examining factors that influence motives as well as the impact of motives on PA among Chinese university students.

Highlights

The benefits of physical activity (PA) and exercise have been demonstrated across the lifespan, physical inactivity is still a major global concern, one that threatens health worldwide (Kohl et al, 2012)
The results of this study revealed that the Chinese university students’ physical activity motivation scale (CUSPAMS) provides adequate evidence of validity and reliability
This scale sufficiently captured a wider range of PA motivation in a population of Chinese university students

Summary

Introduction

The benefits of physical activity (PA) and exercise have been demonstrated across the lifespan, physical inactivity is still a major global concern, one that threatens health worldwide (Kohl et al, 2012). More than 50% of university students fail to achieve at least 150 min of moderate-intensity PA per week (Hoyos et al, 2011; Small et al, 2013). This trend occurs in China—for example, in 2019, out of a total of 30.31 million. Wu et al (2015) found that an increase in sedentary lifestyles and reduced PA are becoming major health concerns for Chinese university students. These unhealthy lifestyles, formed during university careers, usually persist into later life and lead to long-term negative health consequences (Friedman et al, 2008). According to data from the seven National Student Physical Fitness and Health Surveys from 1985 to 2014, the physical fitness of university students is exhibiting a downward trend, and the obesity rate continues to increase by 2–3% every 5 years (Chinese Students Physical and Health Research Group, 2018)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion