Document Type : Original research study

Authors

1 Department of Physical Education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Physical Education, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran

3 PhD, Department of Physical Education, Farhangian University, Gorgan, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Education, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

10.22089/spsyj.2024.15892.2442

Abstract

Background and objective: There are little information about the effects of autonomy-based interventions on motivation and objective physical activity (measured with an accelerometer) in college students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an intervention based on the need for autonomy on the motivation and physical activity among student of Farhangian University of Sistan and Baluchistan. Method: The method of present study was causal-comparative. The participants included 60 female and male students of Farhangian University of Sistan and Baluchistan with an age range of 19 to 21 years (average age 19.84 years), who were randomly assigned to two groups of “chioice” (30 people) or “no choice” (30 people). The research protocol included pre-test and post-test stages. Physical activity was objectively measured using accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X-BT) and the sports motivation scale-2 was used to measure motivation. The intervention program lasted for 12 weeks. Independent t-tests and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that the autonomy-based intervention increased autonomous motivation and physical activity and decreased controlled motivation in students. In addition, the students did not follow the World Health Organization guidelines of participating in 60 minutes of MVPA per day. Conclusion: These results show the positive effectiveness of teaching styles based on self-determination theory. Therefore, physical education professors in universities can improve the level of health-oriented physical activity of students by using teaching styles based on self-determination theory, which is actually one of the main goals of general physical education course.

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