The big motivational picture: Examining the relationship between positive intrapersonal processes and adolescent health-promoting behaviors

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between positive intrapersonal processes (intrinsic motivation and subjective vitality) at a general level and adolescent physical activity and food intake. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 433 ninth graders to assess their generalized perceptions of autonomy, competence, relatedness, and subjective vitality as well as their physical activity and eating behavior. Cluster analytic procedures resulted in the identification of three groups of adolescents who differed in their positive intrapersonal processes. Furthermore, these groups exhibited significant and contrasting patterns in their health-promoting behaviors. Participants who were in the most positive intrapersonal cluster (high well-being) reported the highest levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and healthy eating patterns when compared to the adolescents in the low and moderate well-being clusters. These findings support a top-down approach to understanding adolescent motivation for and participation in health-promoting behavior. Implications for intervention are discussed.

Acknowledgments

The first author would like to thank Tom Poetter for his unwavering support of this project and Stephanie Rogers for assistance with data collection and management. Thanks also to the anonymous reviewers and editor as their comments significantly enhanced the quality of this article.