The role of passion and affect in adolescents’ basketball participation: A self-determination theory perspective

Abstract

This study examined adolescent basketball participation through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), focusing on the roles of passion (harmonious and obsessive) and affect (positive and negative), with gender and age as moderators. We collected data from 400 Chinese adolescents from south of China using convenience sampling (M age=15.20, SD=1.99). Participants completed the Passion Scale and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Scale (PANAS). Basketball participation was operationalized as self-reported engagement in basketball over the past seven days. Hypothesized pathways were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus, which included test of measurement invariance and moderation. Results revealed that harmonious passion positively predicted basketball engagement (β=.280, 95% CI [.127,.432], p=.003) though enhanced positive affect. Specifically, harmonious passion was positively associated with positive affect (β=.495, 95% CI [.356,.635], p