Motivation of Children and Youth for Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v15i4.824Keywords:
Physical Activity, Children, Youth, Motivation, Self-Determination Theory, COVID-19, Behavioural RegulationAbstract
Only 25% of children and youth aged 10-17 are meeting the national guidelines for physical activity (PA) in Canada. COVID-19 pandemic regulations have additionally reduced the engagement of children and youth with leisure time PA. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate motivations for leisure time PA of children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic utilizing organismic integration theory (OIT). Methods: Participants were children and youth aged 11-14 years, living in Canada at the time of questionnaire completion. Motivations and regulations were assessed online using the Behavioural Regulations in Exercise Questionnaire version 3, and PA was assessed using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire. Results: Higher levels of PA intensity were correlated with more autonomous forms of regulations and motivation, whereas lower levels of PA intensity were not significantly correlated with more controlled forms of motivation. Greater scores of the relative autonomy index predicted higher levels of PA intensity. Sex moderated the relationship between integrated regulation and PA, explaining 7-8% of the variance. Conclusions: Sex was the key predictor of PA outcomes, indicating other variables beyond regulations should be further explored regarding children and youth’s motivations for leisure time PA, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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