Effects of satisfaction and thwarting of basic psychological needs on the forms of passion for exercise

Based on both self-determination theory and dualistic model of passion, the main purpose of this study was to determine the influence of the satisfaction and thwarting of basic psychological needs perceived in the context of exercise on the development of harmonious (HP) and obsessive (OP) forms of passion for exercise, considering additionally if such relationship could differs across gender. A total of 398 university students (256 men and 114 women), aged between 17 and 44 (Mage=20.49; SD = 3.38) and involved in exercise at least once a week, filled a questionnaire that assessed the variables of interest. The results of structural equation model showed that, in general, both satisfaction and thwarting of basic psychological needs predicted positively OP, whereas only the satisfaction of needs predicted positively HP. Furthermore, results revealed gender differences in the effect of the thwarting of needs on both forms of passion. As a whole, both satisfaction and thwarting of needs explained 25% and 44% of the variance in HP in men and women, respectively, being those percentages 32% and 14% for OP. From a practical point of view, these results suggest that, at least in males, interventions aimed at decreasing experiences of the thwarting of needs in the exercise context could contribute to diminish an obsessive commitment to this behaviour.