Prediction of Leisure Exercise Behaviors A Study on University Students of Hong Kong

推測香港大學生休間運動行為的研究

Abstract

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese.

The purpose of this study is to examine the theoretical relationships among the variables of leisure exercise efficacy, leisure exercise motives, leisure exercise barriers, and leisure exercise behaviors of university students using the social cognitive theory as a framework. The Model of University Students' Leisure Exercise Behaviors (MUSLEB) was hypothesized before data collection to investigate the theoretical relationships among the variables. Initially, a total of 331 university students were recruited for this study. Data were collected on two occasions using measuring instruments that included the Leisure Exercise Efficacy Scale, the Motivation for Physical Activities Measure-Revised, the Leisure Exercise Barrier Questionnaire, and the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire. Participants were classified into Physical Education and Non Physical Education groups to examine their differences in leisure exercise behaviors. As no significant difference was found on the leisure exercise behaviors between the two groups at the end of the semester, all the participants were pooled to test the hypothesized model (n=172). The hypothesized model was found to be acceptable with x2 / df = 1.85, CFI = .98 and RMSEA= .07. However, in an attempt to test a more parsimonious model, all non-significant paths were removed from the model and a re-specified MUSLEB was analyzed again. The re-specified model provided evidences (x2 / df = 1.39，CFI = .98 and RMSEA = .05) that this was tenable and more parsimonious than the hypothesized model. Path analysis results showed that leisure exercise efficacy was found to be a significant and direct predictor of leisure exercise behaviors 3 months after the commencement of the semester. As hypothesized, positive and significant relationships were found between leisure exercise efficacy and leisure exercise motives. However, contrary to expectation, a positive significant effect between post 3-month leisure exercise efficacy and post 3-month leisure exercise barriers was observed. The investigators suggested the evidence gave support for the theoretical model hypothesizing possible external environmental cause on this phenomenon. Limitations and recommendations for the study are discussed.

本文以「社會認知理論」為架構，研究大學生的"休閒運動信心"，"休閒運動動機"，"休閒運動障礙"，和"休閒運動行為"的理論關係。作者假設了一個"大學生休間運動行為模式"去測試它們的關係。結果顯示"休閒運動信心"能夠成功地預測三個月後的"休閒運動行為"。而"休閒運動信心"和"休間運動動機"亦有顯著的正相關。不過三個月後的"休閒運動信心"和"休閒運動障礙 "卻出乎意料地有顯著正關係。此結果揭示了外在環境因素具潛在影響這個模式的可能性，作者還提出了此文的限制和建議。