Physical Activity in Individuals Living with Osteopenia: Associations with Psychological Need Satisfaction and Motives for Well-Being

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was (a) to examine the association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and motives for wellbeing and (b) to examine the potential role of perceived psychological need satisfaction (Deci & Ryan, 2002) in terms of the physical activity-motive for well-being relationship. Adopting a crosssectional design, participants (N = 142; Mage = 65.01 years; SDage = 10.55 years) were individuals diagnosed with osteopenia who completed a self-report survey on a single occasion. Bivariate correlations indicated that LTPA was associated with motives for hedonic (r = .28) and eudaimonic (r = .35) well-being and psychological need satisfaction (r’s = .12 to .45). Multiple mediation analysis indicated perceived psychological need satisfaction mediated the LTPA– hedonic/eudaimonic motive relationship. The 95 percent bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap confidence interval demonstrated that perceived competence and autonomy were the unique mediators. Collectively, results of this study support the relationship between physical activity and levels of hedonic/eudaimonic motives and that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs is a plausible mechanism underpinning such motivational orientations.