Abstract
Previous research evidence showed deficient physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) performance levels among high school students. Personal goal orientations motivate their behavior; therefore, it is essential to discover high school students’ goal orientations in PA and PF. Guided by the latest 3 × 2 achievement goal model, we examined the influence of six goal orientations on PA and PF in high school students. A total of 792 high school students in China (54.5% girls; Mage = 16.93 ± 0.82) completed validated measurements assessing 3 × 2 goal orientations for PA and PF. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to analyze whether 3 × 2 achievement goal orientations significantly influenced the study variables. Other-approach, self-approach, and task-avoidance goals significantly predicted PA, and the 50-meter dash was predicted by other-approach and self-avoidance goals. The self-approach goal was the only significant predictor of the standing long jump. In conclusion, fostering self- and other-approach-oriented environments with developmentally appropriate content in physical education may have implications for enhancing high school students’ PA and PF.
Highlights
The prevalence of adolescent obesity has increased dramatically across the globe including the United States and China [1,2]
As empirical evidence has consistently shown that student motivation is strongly linked to engagement in physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) [18,19,20,21,22], identifying Chinese high school students’ motivational factors for PA and PF is critical for their health promotion
Expanding on the current knowledge of achievement goal orientations in high school students using the latest 3 × 2 achievement goal model, we aimed to investigate the associations of six goal orientations with PA and PF among high school students in PE settings
Summary
The prevalence of adolescent obesity has increased dramatically across the globe including the United States and China [1,2]. The World Health Organization (WHO)’s PA guidelines recommend that school-aged youth (i.e., 5–17 years old) need to spend at least one hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily to achieve health benefits and decrease the risk of obesity [12]. A Chinese national study demonstrated that only a few adolescents (9% boys and 2% girls; aged 9–17 years old) met the recommended daily MVPA, objectively measured using accelerometers [13]. A more recent Chinese national study found that only 24.4% of the 32,563 high school adolescents met the recommended MVPA levels of 60 min per day [14]. As empirical evidence has consistently shown that student motivation is strongly linked to engagement in PA and PF [18,19,20,21,22], identifying Chinese high school students’ motivational factors for PA and PF is critical for their health promotion
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