Physical Activity Motivation in Late Adolescence

Abstract

Recent research (Martin et al., 2006) presented a new, multidimensional approach to physical activity motivation (using the Physical Activity Motivation Scale [PAMS]) operationalized through four factors: adaptive cognition, adaptive behavior, impeding/maladaptive cognition, and maladaptive behavior. The present study extends this early research by recruiting a larger sample of 705 young people, in late adolescence, using a shortened form of PAMS (PAMS-Revised), and including physical and nonphysical correlates as a means of better understanding its validity. Findings confirmed a sound four-factor framework comprising reliable factors. Findings also demonstrated hypothesized relations between physical activity motivation and physical correlates and, to a lesser extent, between physical activity motivation and more general life correlates.

Key words:

• behavior
• cognition
• measurement
• physical health and well being

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Andrew J. Martin

This article was in part prepared while the author was Visiting Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford. Please address correspondence concerning this article to Andrew J. Martin, Faculty of Education and Social Work, A35 - Education Building, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2006