The relationship between motivation profiles for health-oriented physical activity, basic psychological needs and emotional regulation

The study of motivation toward health-oriented physical activity helps to know the reasons that guide people to practice physical activity. Moreover, different types and levels of motivation may coexist. As such, this paper aimed to analyze the combination of motivation for health-oriented physical activity profiles and examine whether profiles differed in emotional regulation and basic psychological needs. A sample of 808 Spanish adults between 18 and 65 years old (Mage = 33.90; Standard Deviation = 12.91; 366 men) participated in a cross-sectional study. Results revealed the existence of three different motivational profiles: (a) Low scores in self-determined motivation and average-high scores in non-self-determined motivation; (b) Average scores in self-determined and non-self-determined motivation; (c) High scores in self-determined motivation and average-high in non-self-determined motivation. Furthermore, participants differed in the satisfaction of basic psychological needs and cognitive-emotional regulation strategies depending on the profiles combination that they perceive. In conclusion, practitioners need to enhance an optimal combination of motivation profiles to satisfy better basic psychological needs and the use of functional cognitive-emotional regulation strategies since this could help improve psychological and emotional health in adults.