Positive Exercise Experience Facilitates Behavior Change via Self-Efficacy

Purpose. Motivational processes can be set in motion when positive consequences of physical exercise are experienced. However, relationships between positive exercise experience and determinants of the motivational and the volitional phases of exercise change have attracted only sparse attention in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health education & behavior 2014-08, Vol.41 (4), p.414-422
Main Authors: Parschau, Linda, Fleig, Lena, Warner, Lisa Marie, Pomp, Sarah, Barz, Milena, Knoll, Nina, Schwarzer, Ralf, Lippke, Sonia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Behavior Change
Behavior Modification
Biological and medical sciences
Correlation
Exercise
Female
Foreign Countries
Germany
Health Behavior
Humans
Individual Power
Intention
Intervention
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Measurement
Measures (Individuals)
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
Motivation
Observation
Planning
Positive Reinforcement
Prevention and actions
Psychometrics
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Self Efficacy
Structural Equation Models
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Purpose. Motivational processes can be set in motion when positive consequences of physical exercise are experienced. However, relationships between positive exercise experience and determinants of the motivational and the volitional phases of exercise change have attracted only sparse attention in research. Method. This research examines direct and indirect associations between positive experience and motivational as well as volitional self-efficacy, intention, action planning, and exercise in two distinct longitudinal samples. The first one originates from an online observational study in the general population with three measurement points in time (N = 350) and the second one from a clinical intervention study in a rehabilitation context with four measurement points (N = 275). Results. Structural equation modeling revealed the following Positive experience is directly related with motivational self-efficacy as well as intentions in both samples. In the online sample only, positive experience is associated with volitional self-efficacy. In each sample, experience is indirectly associated with action planning via motivational self-efficacy and intentions. Moreover, action planning, in turn, predicts changes in physical exercise levels. Conclusions. Findings suggest a more prominent role of positive experience in the motivational than in the volitional phase of physical exercise change. Thus, this research contributes to the understanding of how positive experience is involved in the behavior change process.
ISSN:1090-1981
1552-6127
DOI:10.1177/1090198114529132