title: The mediating role of exercise identity in the relationship of exercise motivational regulations with strenuous, moderate and mild exercise.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study examined the mediating role of exercise identity in the relationship of exercise motivational regulations with weekly frequency of strenuous, moderate, and mild exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from a sample of 193 Greek exercise participants aged 18-54, using the Revised Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2, the Exercise Identity Scale, and the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regression analyses revealed that the main predictor of strenuous exercise was integrated regulation. This association was partially mediated by exercise role identity. Moderate exercise was mainly predicted by intrinsic motivation and external regulation, but no mediation by exercise identity was evident. Mild exercise was not predicted by any type of behavioral regulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relationship of integrated regulation with strenuous exercise behavior is partially mediated by the role identity component of exercise identity. No mediation is evident for moderate and mild exercise.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Social Research on Physical Activity Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Serres Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Serres, Greece - vlachop@phed-sr.auth.gr.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Zafeiridou
authors.forename: V D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Sarafi
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Vlachopoulos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D055815:Young Adult