Psychological State and Behavioural Profiles of Freshman Enrolled in College and University Instructional Physical Activity Programmes under Different Policy Conditions

Moosong Kim; Bradley J. Cardinal

¹Northeastern State University, College of Education, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States
²Oregon State University, College of Public Health and Human Science, School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Kinesiology Program, Corvallis, Oregon, United States

Psychological State and Behavioural Profiles of Freshman Enrolled in College and University Instructional Physical Activity Programmes under Different Policy Conditions

Monten. J. Sports Sci. Med. 2019, 8(2), 13-20 | DOI: 10.26773/mjssm.190902

Abstract

Between late adolescence and early adulthood, people experience a precipitous decline in their participation in physical activity. Those attending college or university are often presented with opportunities to partake in physical activity, sometimes under compulsory conditions and sometimes under elective conditions. This study examined the psychological and behavioural characteristics of freshman students under these two separate conditions. The main finding was that students under the elective condition felt more competent and motivated compared to those in the compulsory condition. They were also more physically active. When offered as electives, tertiary level physical activity education courses may be limited in reach, primarily attracting those who would likely be physically active without any such coursework.

Keywords

competence, compulsory, elective, exercise, higher education, motivation, physical activity, requirement

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