A cross-sectional study to investigate motivation for physical activity in a sample of Iranian community-dwelling older adults

Abstract

Background: On the basis of the Social-Ecological Model, there are assumed to be three sources of motivation – intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community motivation – that prompt older adults to participate in physical activity (PA). These three motivational sources can lead to PA behavior adherence. Little empirical research exists that investigates which motivational source is more influential in older adults’ adherence to PA, thus creating an area of interest for this research. Methods: A cross-sectional study was used to investigate the relationship between levels of PA and different sources of motivation. The convenience sample of 140 community-dwelling older adults, aged 60 and greater, living in Shiraz, Iran agreed to complete self-reported questionnaires,to measure motivation and PA. Five statistical tests were used: Independent-samples t test, one way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, chi-square, and ordinal regression. Results: Ordinal regression indicated that gender (P = 0.001, CI: 0.523-2.115) and intrapersonal motivation (P < 0.001, CI: 0.038-0.126) were useful predictors of variations in the levels of PA. Compared to males, females engaged in PA with less frequency (P = 0.006). Community motivation decreased with age (r = - 0.213, P < 0.05). There were no significant relationships between age, educational level, health status, and PA (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Interpersonal and community motivation were insignificant factors for PA participation, perhaps due to non-facilitating environment. Future research should be conducted to investigate the environmental issues that hinder PA participation in older adults.

Health locus of control and sociodemographic factors in older adults: Insights from exercise programs – Crosssectional study

“…The smallest group included those who had not completed high school, making up just 9.0% (n = 18). These findings were in line with research showing that individuals with higher levels of education are more likely to engage in exercise programs (29)(30)(31)(32). In terms of age distribution, most participants were in the 65-69 age group, accounting for 34.0% (n = 68), while the smallest cohort was aged 80 and older, representing 14.0% (n = 28).…”

“…Therefore, a gender-based analysis was not conducted in the study, and the term "retirees" is used to encompass both genders. Although cultural studies from around the world have produced mixed results regarding the participation of individuals in physical activities based on gender, it's evident that this region displays a notable gender disparity in exercise program participation (28)(29)(30)(31)(32).…”

Physical Self-Concept Changes in Adults and Older Adults: Influence of Emotional Intelligence, Intrinsic Motivation and Sports Habits

“…Currently, little is known about the specific reasons that might lead sedentary people to regular PA practice [ 37 ]. Despite the lack of studies on the older population, for which interest is growing, there is a body of recent research based on the theory of self-determination, which considers self-determined motivation as a predictor of positive psychological, social and emotional consequences in physically active older adults [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]. These authors suggest that it is mainly intrinsic motivation, such as the enjoyment or consideration of sports as a significant part of one’s lifestyle, that help the adherence to PA among the adult population, giving a secondary role to extrinsic motivation, such as competition or social recognition.…”

The Effects of Dance Interventions on Depression in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis

“…Despite the various benefits of regular physical activity on depression, only a small number of older adults reported achieving sufficient levels of physical activity (Cunningham et al, 2020). Two potential factors related to poor exercise adherence might be lack of motivation (Booth et al, 2019; Derakhshanrad et al, 2020; Predovan et al, 2019; Spiteri et al, 2019) and the repetitive form of exercise, which may be perceived as boring (Studenski et al, 2010). Therefore, the adherence rates of physical activity interventions are usually poor with high rates of attrition (Ferreira et al, 2018; Frändin et al, 2016; Kocic et al, 2018).…”