# Body Image Satisfaction, Overweight Dissatisfaction, and Exercise Persistence: A Self-Determination Theory Approach

## TL;DR

This study shows how body image affects how people are motivated by exercise professionals and whether they stick with exercise.

## Contribution

It identifies distinct motivational pathways based on body image satisfaction and overweight dissatisfaction in exercise settings.

## Key findings

- Satisfied exercisers with positive perceptions of instructors showed stronger persistence intentions through self-determined motivation.
- Dissatisfied exercisers with negative perceptions of instructors showed weaker persistence intentions through non-self-determined motivation.
- Need-supportive environments enhance motivation and persistence, especially for those with body image concerns.

## Abstract

Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study tested the hypothesis that body image perception delineates distinct motivational pathways, linking the perceived interpersonal style of exercise professionals to basic psychological needs, motivation quality, and long-term exercise persistence intentions. A sample of 821 regular exercisers was divided into two groups based on body image: “Satisfied” (n = 276) and “Dissatisfied due to Overweight” (n = 545). Participants completed validated measures of perceived interpersonal behaviors (supportive/thwarting), basic psychological need satisfaction/frustration, motivational regulation, and exercise persistence intention. A clear divergent pattern emerged, strongly supporting the main hypothesis. The “Satisfied” group reported a positive pathway: perceiving more need-supportive behaviors from instructors was associated with greater satisfaction of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which in turn correlated with more self-determined motivation and stronger persistence intentions. Conversely, the “Dissatisfied” group reported a negative pathway: perceiving more need-thwarting behaviors was associated with greater need frustration, which correlated with more non-self-determined motivation and weaker persistence intentions. Measurement invariance confirmed these pathways are comparable across groups. The findings highlight that body image perception is a key correlate of distinct motivational experiences in exercise settings. Crucially, they underscore the significant association between the professional’s perceived interpersonal style and these pathways. Fostering need-supportive environments that enhance autonomy, competence, and relatedness is associated with more adaptive motivation and adherence, offering a valuable framework for practitioners aiming to support clients, particularly those with body image concerns.