The influence of health assessments on motivating college students to become more physically active.

摘要

Motivating individuals has become a major initiative in higher education, and many different strategies are being implemented on campuses. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of health assessments on motivating college students to become more physically active. The research aimed to interpret the knowledge gained from an individual's health assessments as an effective strategy. The knowledge gained can be used to assist the college-aged population in adopting active lifestyles that will lower their health risks. The researcher used the self-determination theory to examine community college students' motivation to be physically active; the transtheoretical model of change and the social cognitive theory were used to assess physical activity behavior. The participants in this study were students enrolled in the Health and Personalized Fitness course at a Mid-Atlantic community college. The researcher used quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, nonequivalent comparison group design. An analysis of covariance was used, with the pretest as the covariate, to determine whether a statistically significant difference occurred in posttest levels for stage of change, self-regulation, and self-efficacy. No statistically significant difference in the posttest levels of physical exercise self-efficacy and motivation was found between college students taking the health assessment (treatment or program group) and those not taking the assessment (comparison group). The students taking the health assessment exhibited a significant reduction in body fat percentage, and a significant enhancement in the levels of VO2 MAX before and after the course. Additionally, analysis indicated that students who received the health assessment reported more significant changes to their stage of change than students who did not receive the health assessments.