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. 2024 Nov 7;14(1):27124.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-78760-1.

The mediating role of competence, autonomy, and relatedness in the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior

Shuai Zhang  1 , Chenglong Miao  2
Affiliations

The mediating role of competence, autonomy, and relatedness in the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior

Shuai Zhang et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

This study aims to explore the complex and multifaceted relationship between Behavioral Activation and Behavioral Maintenance in sports participation, delving into the underlying mechanisms to provide practical insights into how individuals initiate and sustain engagement in sports activities. Utilizing a combination of convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods, 378 sports participants from over ten provinces and cities in China were selected as survey subjects, and an intermediary model concerning the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior was constructed. Discriminant validity and mediation effect analyses were conducted using SPSS and AMOS 23.0. The results indicate that Behavioral Activation indirectly influences Behavioral Maintenance through Competence (ad = 0.39), with a 95% confidence interval [0.201, 0.642], excluding 0. Behavioral Activation also indirectly influences Behavioral Maintenance through Autonomy (be = 0.23), with a 95% confidence interval [0.109, 0.421], excluding 0. However, Behavioral Activation indirectly influences Behavioral Maintenance through Relatedness (cf. = 0.09), with a 95% confidence interval [-0.068, 0.336], which includes 0. The study reveals that both Competence and Autonomy significantly mediate the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior among athletes. However, Relatedness does not play a significant mediating role in the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior among the participants.

Keywords: Autonomy; Behavior maintenance; Behavioral activation; Competence; IBM; Relatedness; SDT; Sports participation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Research structure and assumptions. Note: PHT(Perceived Health Threat); NE(Negative Evaluation, SN(Social Norms, PBC(Perceived Behavioral Control), BI(Behavioral Intention), BA(Behavioral Activation), CO(Competence), AU(Autonomy), RE(Relatedness), BS(Behavior Maintenance).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mediation model of behavioral activation and maintenance in sports participants’ engagement.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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