Influence of motivation and dispositional flow on the intention to do physical activity in adolescents from four countries

Abstract

The aims of this study were to analyze differences in motivational orientation, intrinsic motivation, dispositional flow and intention to be physically active among Argentine, Spanish, Colombian, and Ecuadorian adolescents; and to analyze the predictive role of the aforementioned motivational variables on the future intention to be physically active. The sample was composed by 3,990 students aged 12 to 18 (M = 14.55, SD = 1.74) who completed questionnaires that were previously validated and used in Spanish contexts. Results of ANCOVAs showed significant differences between participants from the analyzed countries, although the effect size was very small in all of them. The greatest similarities were observed between Spanish and Argentinians, as well as between Colombians and Ecuadorians. Stepwise regression analyses showed that both intrinsic motivation and dispositional flow emerged as the main predictors of future intention to be physically active, as they both explained from 34% to 52% of the variance. The findings of the present study suggested the existence of similar motivational patterns among adolescents from different countries. Outcomes also highlighted the important role of dispositional flow in the prediction of future intentions to be physically active regardless of the country.