Latent profiles of exercise motivation and exercise-induced emotions: associations with physical activity and gender among Chinese college students

TL;DR

This study identifies three distinct psychological profiles of exercise motivation and emotions among Chinese college students and links them to physical activity and gender differences.

Contribution

The study introduces a person-centered approach to uncover distinct motivational and emotional profiles related to exercise behavior in a Chinese college population.

Findings

Three distinct profiles were identified: Low-Enjoyment and High-Exhaustion, Appearance-Driven and Ambivalent-Affect, and Enjoyment-Driven and High-Vitality.

Male students were more likely to belong to the Enjoyment-Driven and High-Vitality Profile.

The Enjoyment-Driven and High-Vitality Profile showed significantly higher physical activity levels compared to the other two profiles.

Abstract

Although the specific reasons for exercise motivation and the emotions felt during it are both important for physical activity (PA), little is known about how they combine to form distinct psychological profiles. This study used a person-centered approach to identify these latent profiles based on specific exercise motives and exercise-induced emotions among Chinese college students, and examined their associations with gender and PA. We recruited 1,586 undergraduates from a university in southern China (Mage = 19.13, SD = 1.23; 468 males, 1,118 females). They completed the Motives for Physical Activities Measure-Revised (MPAM-R), the Exercise-Induced Feeling Inventory (EFI), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify subgroups based on their motivational and emotional patterns. The results supported a three-profile model: Low-Enjoyment and High-Exhaustion Profile (14.7%), Appearance-Driven and Ambivalent-Affect Profile (50.6%), and Enjoyment-Driven and High-Vitality Profile (34.8%). Gender significantly predicted profile membership, with male students more likely to belong to the Enjoyment-Driven and High-Vitality Profile. Physical activity levels differed significantly across the latent profiles in a specific pattern. The Enjoyment-Driven and High-Vitality Profile demonstrated a higher level of physical activity than both the Low-Enjoyment and High-Exhaustion Profile and the Appearance-Driven and Ambivalent-Affect Profile. No significant difference in physical activity was found between the latter two profiles. These findings reveal three distinct experiential patterns and highlight the large subgroup driven by appearance concerns as a key target for interventions aimed at fostering more autonomous motivation and positive affective experiences.

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