Profile analysis through self-determination theory and intention to be physically active: differences according to gender and age

INTRODUCTION: Physical Education in the current education system has various objectives,including educating students on the values of physical activity and increasing the physical activity levels of students. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study is to analyze the motivational profiles of students, to understand which profiles have higher levels of responsibility, satisfaction of autonomy, competence, and social relationship needs; intention to be physically active; and perception of autonomy support. METHODS: A total of 752 students from Primary, Secondary, and Non-compulsory Education (M = 13.809; SD = 1.984, 47.9% boys and 52.1% girls), from different educational centers in Spain, participated in the study, to whom a series of questionnaires were administered to find out their values of the mentioned variables. The results established the existence of four profiles: “high quality,” “low quality,” “high quantity,” and “low quantity” of motivation. RESULTS: The results reflect that the students of the “high quality” and “high quantity” profiles had higher values in all the variables in relation to the other two groups (except in amotivation and external regulation), discussing the differential analysis between the four groups. The group with the best results was the “high quantity” profile, as opposed to the “low quantity” profile. In turn, no differences were found according to gender, but according to the educational stage, the Primary Education stage was more related to the more self-determined profiles. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is necessary to look for more self-determined motivational profiles from an early age in order to improve levels of responsibility, perception of autonomy, satisfaction of basic psychological needs, and the intention to be physically active.