# The Relationship Between Personal Values and Leisure‐Time Exercise: A Three‐Wave Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how personal values influence adolescents' leisure-time exercise behavior and the psychological mechanisms behind it.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific personal values and motivational mechanisms that predict leisure-time exercise in adolescents.

## Key findings

- Security-personal predicts leisure-time exercise through identified regulation and exercise intention.
- Achievement predicts leisure-time exercise via introjected regulation and exercise intention, moderated by social support.
- Hedonism predicts leisure-time exercise through intrinsic motivation and exercise intention.

## Abstract

To gain more insight into why adolescents exercise, based on Schwartz's personal values model and self‐determination theory, this study examined whether personal values affect leisure‐time exercise behavior and their underlying mechanisms. Five hundred twenty‐two participants (193 Females and 329 Males; M
age = 19.32, SD = 1.02) in China were included. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediating and moderating effect. The results indicated that security‐personal can predict leisure‐time exercise, identified regulation, and exercise intention can mediate this relationship. Achievement can predict leisure‐time exercise, introjected regulation and exercise intention can mediate this relationship, and emotional social support for exercise can moderate the relationship between achievement and introjected motivation. Hedonism can predict leisure‐time exercise, intrinsic motivation and exercise intention can mediate this relationship. Conformity‐interpersonal is not related to leisure‐time exercise.