title: Motivations for adolescent participation in leisure-time physical activity: international differences.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although there are substantial international differences in adolescent physical activity (PA), cross-country motivational differences have received limited attention, perhaps due to the lack of measures applicable internationally.
  
  
  METHODS
  Identical self-report measures assessing PA and motivations for PA were used to survey students ages 11, 13, and 15 from 7 countries participating in the 2005-2006 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study representing 3 regions: Eastern Europe, Western Europe and North America. Multigroup comparisons with Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling examined the stability of factors across regions and regional differences in relations between PA and motives for PA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three PA motivation factors were identified as suitable for assessing international populations. There were significant regional, gender, and age differences in relations between PA and each of the 3 PA motives. Social and achievement motives were positively related to PA. However, the association of PA with health motivations varied significantly by region and gender. The patterns suggest the importance of social motives for PA and the possibility that health may not be a reliable motivator for adolescent PA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Programs to increase PA in adolescence need to determine which motives are effective for the particular population being targeted.
authors: Prevention Research Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: Ronald J
authors: RJ
authors: Iannotti
authors: Rusan
authors: R
authors: Chen
authors: Hania
authors: H
authors: Kololo
authors: Gintare
authors: G
authors: Petronyte
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Haug
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006040:Goals; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment