title: Planning Mediates Between Self-Efficacy and Physical Activity Among Motivated Young Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Often, motivation to be physically active is a necessary precondition of action but still does not suffice to initiate the target behavior. Instead, motivation needs to be translated into action by a self-regulatory process. Self-efficacy and planning are considered to be useful constructs that help to facilitate such translations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim is to examine the roles of motivation, planning, and self-efficacy as well as the mechanisms that operate in the change of physical activity levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a longitudinal observation study with 249 young adults, self-efficacy, planning, motivation, and physical activity were assessed at 2 points in time, 3 months apart.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Planning served as a mediator between self-efficacy and physical activity, controlling for baseline activity. In addition to this indirect effect, a moderator effect was found between self-efficacy and stages of change on planning. The mediation operated only in motivated, but not in unmotivated students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A mediation from self-efficacy via planning to physical activity seems to be likely only when people are motivated to become more active.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Educational Science and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Guangyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Knoll
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schwarzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D055815:Young Adult