The Mediating Role of Passion in the Relationship of Exercise Motivational Regulations with Exercise Dependence Symptoms

• Published in: International journal of mental health and addiction 2014-08, Vol.12 (4), p.406-419
• Main Authors: Parastatidou, Irini S., Doganis, Georgios, Theodorakis, Yannis, Vlachopoulos, Symeon P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictions; Addictive behaviors; Behavior; Community and Environmental Psychology; Exercise; Health Psychology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Motivation; Physical fitness; Psychiatry; Psychology; Public Health; Regulation; Rehabilitation; Self esteem
• ISSN: 1557-1874; 1557-1882
• DOI: 10.1007/s11469-013-9466-x

The present study examined the mediating role of obsessive passion in the relationship of introjected regulation to exercise with exercise dependence symptoms. A cross-sectional design was used. Questionnaires were administered in the context of private fitness centers and were completed before initiation of that day’s exercise activities. Using non-probability sampling, 549 regular Greek exercise participants, men and women (approximately 70 % response rate), aged 18 to 61 years, completed the questionnaires. The Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (Symons-Downs et al. 2004 ) was used to measure exercise dependence symptoms; the Passion Scale (Vallerand et al. 2003 ) was used to measure harmonious and obsessive passion for exercise; and the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (Markland and Tobin 2004 ) was used to measure types of behavioral regulations in exercise. Obsessive passion mediated the relationship between introjected regulation and exercise dependence symptoms (CFI = 0.91–0.95, RMSEA = 0.05-06). The present findings provided cross-sectional support to the mediating role of obsessive passion in the relationship of introjected regulation to exercise with exercise dependence symptoms.