Relationship between exercise motivation and readiness to engage in regular physical exercise among university students

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to identify students' readiness to engage in regular physical exercise among university students.

Methods: A descriptive predictive correlational design was used. A simple random sample of 400 undergraduate students was recruited from seven colleges at The Missan University, Iraq. Data were collected using the Stages of Change Scale (Short and Continuous Forms) and the Exercise Motivations Inventory-2 (EMI-2). Pearson correlation, independent t-tests, and ANOVA were used for data analysis.

Results: Age (r=.335, p=0.01), family socioeconomic status (r=.136, p=0.01), and BMI (r=.133, p=0.01) positively correlated with readiness to engage in regular physical exercise. Significant gender differences were found in both Stages of Change (t=3.028, p=0.003) and exercise motivation (t=3.421, p=0.001), with males scoring higher. Significant differences in exercise motivation were observed across Stages of Change groups (F=62.593, p<0.001) and grade levels (F=9.761, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Higher family socioeconomic status and greater BMI were associated with increased readiness for regular physical exercise. Exercise motivation and readiness to exercise are strongly correlated, with significant variations by gender, grade level, and stage of change.