Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale—Swedish Version

Cross-cultural invariance of the basic psychological needs in exercise scale and need satisfaction latent mean differences among Greek, Spanish, Portuguese and Turkish samples

The current study examined some psychometric properties of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES; Vlachopoulos & Michailidou, 2006 ) in a group of Chinese university students in Hong Kong. A total of 460 undergraduate students were invited to take part in this study. We examined the factorial validity, discriminant validity, nomological validity, internal reliability, and measurement invariance across sex of a Chinese translation of the BPNES. The findings demonstrated that the scale had a good factorial validity and satisfactory internal reliability. Measurement invariance analysis indicated that the factor loadings and factor variance as well as covariance of measurement structure were invariant across male and female participants. Nomological validity was supported by the results of SEM analysis. Overall, the current study provided initial evidence for the validity and reliability of a Chinese translation of BPNES, and suggested that this scale could be used to measure satisfaction of psychological needs in the exercise field of Hong Kong undergraduate students.

It is alarming that despite the numerous accrued benefits of physical activity participation, many young adults in tertiary institutions engage in inactive and sedentary lifestyles, which can be linked to many cases of morbidity and mortality. However, according to the self-determination theory (SDT), individuals have three basic psychological needs (BPNs) that are essential for healthy growth, development and well-being. The necessity to fulfill these BPN’s can stimulate and encourage young adults to engage in regular physical activity and enhance their well-being. Therefore, this study examined the role of BPN’s in predicting physical activity participation among young adults in Nigerian private university. A total of 735 students, comprising 408 males (55.5%) and 327 females (44.5%), with ages ranging from 16 to 35 years (mean = 22.8; SD = 5.42), were randomly selected from a private university in the South-west, of Nigeria. The Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF) were used to collect data. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the study showed that the BPN’s of autonomy (r =0.233, p<0.05); competence (r =0.188, p < 0.05), and relatedness (r = 0.477, p<0.05) positively correlated with physical activity participation. Additionally, the results found that 25% had low, 57.1% had moderate and 17.8% had high levels of physical activity participation among the participants. There was a significant gender difference between males and females’ in their levels of participation in physical activity (t =2.866, p < 0.05), with males reporting higher mean scores than their female counterpart. Regression analysis showed that BPN’s predicted physical activity participation among young adults (F (3,731) = 73.968, p < 0.05) with 23% of its variance accounted for by the independent variables. Furthermore, autonomy (ß = 0.071, t = 1.970, p < 0.05) and relatedness (ß = 0.478, t =12.589, p < 0.05) were predictors of physical activity participation with relatedness being reported as the most potent predictor. These findings provide an insight into focus the importance of satisfying the relatedness and autonomy aspects of BPN’s in young adults. Developing interventions that target these identified indices can promote continuous and regular participation in physical activity. Keywords: basic psychological needs, relatedness, autonomy, physical activity, young adults ‬

Self-determination theory (SDT) highlights the importance of satisfying people's basic psychological needs (BPN) (autonomy, competence and relatedness) in order to ensure their personal growth and wellbeing. In this regard, sport and physical activity (PA) have been shown to offer significant health benefits, particularly in the case of people with intellectual disability (ID), among whom the benefits are even more noticeable owing to their low levels of PA, sedentary lifestyle, limited opportunities to exercise, and consequently lower quality of life. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the Más Que Tenis ("More Than Just Tennis") inclusive recreational sports programme on the satisfaction of BPN among athletes with ID, taking into account factors such as age, gender and type of activity. The sample for the study comprised 50 athletes (68% male) with ID (IQ: X = 54.33; sd = 13.43), aged 17-54 years. Data were collected using the Spanish version of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES), Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), multidimensional AF5 self-concept scale, Vineland-3 Scale, and MABC-2 observation checklist. High levels of satisfaction of all three BPN, with autonomy scoring lowest of the three. Gender was found to be a significant predictor, with men scoring higher in all BNP. Participants reported positive perceptions in relation to physical self-concept and satisfaction with life. In terms of adaptive behaviour, deficits were detected in relation to communication and daily living skills, but not in relation to interpersonal skills. With respect to motor behaviour, satisfaction of BPN was found to correlate more with dynamic environments than with static ones. The findings indicate the effectiveness of the Más Que Tenis programme in satisfying the BPN of people with ID. Participants reported improved physical skills, competence, social integration and interpersonal relations, though also insufficient autonomy in relation to choosing what exercises to do. Satisfaction of BPN through the programme was found to correlate positively with athletes' satisfaction with life and adaptive development, leading to improved personal and neuropsychological wellbeing.

ABSTRACTAimsSelf-determined motivation has been found to be an important predictor of exercise behavior. Findings on gender and age differences are however mixed and previous research has called for studies to examine gender and age as potential moderating factors as they might influence how motivation quality affects exercise behavior.MethodsEmbedded in a controlled trial of a digital intervention aiming to promote exercise motivation, this study examined specific (longitudinal) pathways related to motivation quality, psychological need satisfaction and exercise behavior within the self-determination theory (SDT) process model in a sample of 318 adult employees. The participants completed web-based versions of Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale, Behavioural Regulations in Exercise Questionnaire-2, and Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire three times during a six weeks period.ResultsModeration analyses revealed significant gender and age differences in the associations of motivation quality, basic psychological needs and exercise behavior over time. Several paths in the SDT-process model, linking psychological needs and motivation quality to exercise behavior, were moderated by gender and age. The stipulated mechanisms between exercise, motivation and psychological need satisfaction in the SDT-process model revealed to be stronger for women than for men, and stronger for older adults than for younger and middle-aged adults. The effect of amotivation on exercise was also significantly moderated by age in the full sample, by positively predicting light exercise for younger adults.ConclusionsFuture recommendations are related to the examination of potential differences in opportunities of autonomy support in the social context based on factors such as gender and age, and also to further examine these factors as potential moderators instead of statistically controlling them as default.

Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron: describir el nivel de satisfacción de las necesidades psicológicas básicas y de inteligencia emocional de estudiantes adolescentes de secundaria, y comprobar la capacidad de predicción de la primera en la segunda. Para ello se respondieron a las versiones validadas al castellano de la Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale y la Trait Meta-Mood Scale. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 464 alumnos de secundaria de 12 a 17 años. Los resultados del análisis descriptivo y de correlación indicaron que la necesidad psicológica que más sienten tener satisfecha fue la relación con los demás y que fue la dimensión reparación emocional la que obtuvo mayor puntuación. Por otro lado, mediante análisis de regresión lineal se halló que la necesidad psicológica que mayor predicción tuvo sobre las necesidades psicológicas básicas fue la relación con los demás. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que las personas con mayor necesidad de relacionarse tenderán a desarrollar una mejor inteligencia emocional.

Objectives: The aim was to determine the motivational profiles – including variables from the theory of self-determination and emotional intelligence – of active undergraduates, and to examine their relationship with physical activity. Participants: Six hundred and fifteen undergraduates participated in the study. Methods: Trait Meta-Mood Scale, Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale, Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire and Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire were administered. Cluster analysis was used to identify the motivational profiles. Results: Two motivational profiles were found. One of the motivational profiles included the participants with high levels of satisfaction of the basic psychological needs and self-determined motivation; moderately high levels of emotional clarity and repair; and low levels of non-self-determined motivation. Further, this group showed the highest rates of physical practice than its counterpart. Conclusions: The combination of self-determination theory and emotional intelligence should be considered when examining adherence to physical activity.

Regular exercise participation which is a component of promoting health and healthy aging among older adults necessitates the creation of environments that fulfill participants’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, thus, providing opportunities to promote authentic interest in the activities and meaningful social engagement. Appropriate tools to capture satisfaction of these needs may prove invaluable to gain an understanding of the effectiveness of exercise programs from participants’ perspective. The aim of the study was to examine psychometric aspects of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES) scores based on responses of 675 older adult Greek exercise participants, men and women, aged 65 to 80 years, attending indoor group-based exercise programs. The data supported the factorial validity, internal reliability, nomological validity, and equivalent item interpretation of BPNES scores between groups differing in demographic characteristics. Older adults with exercise experience greater than three years reported higher exercise needs satisfaction for all three needs compared to those exercising less than three years. The favorable psychometric characteristics of the BPNES in this population make it a valuable tool for the assessment of the extent to which older adults’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are fulfilled in group-based exercise settings.

In view of the rise in sedentary lifestyle amongst young people, knowledge regarding their intention to partake in physical activity can be decisive when it comes to instilling physical activity habits to improve the current and future health of school students. Therefore, the object of this study was to find a predictive model of the intention to partake in leisure- time physical activity based on motivation, satisfaction and competence. The sample consisted of 347 Spanish, male, high school students and 411 female students aged between 13 and 18 years old. We used a questionnaire made up of the Sport Motivation Scale, Sport Satisfaction Instrument, and the competence factor in the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale and Intention to Partake in Leisure-Time Physical Activity, all of them adapted to school Physical Education. We carried out confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation models. The intention to partake in leisure-time physical activity was predicted by competence and the latter by satisfaction/fun. Intrinsic motivation was revealed to be the best predictor of satisfaction/fun. Intrinsic motivation should be enhanced in order to predict an intention to partake in physical activity in Physical Education students.

The issue of mental health among college students is of increasing concern during the COVID-19 outbreak. Since course characteristics of engineering college students determine the particularities of their mental health, the specific objectives of this study were: (1) to analyze the relationship between physical activity, parental psychological control, basic psychological needs, anxiety, and mental health in Chinese engineering college students during COVID-19 pandemic; and (2) to examine the mediation effect of anxiety between the relationship of basic psychological needs and mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted among several universities in Shandong Province, China. We randomly selected 254 Chinese engineering college students from these colleges. Participants who were given questionnaires completed the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale (BNSG-S), Parental psychological control Questionnaire, the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), and the Kessler 10 (K10) scale. The mediation model was conducted to assess the mediation effect of anxiety between the relationship of basic psychological needs and mental health. Among 254 Chinese college students majoring in engineering, the results showed that their mental health was in the mid-level range. Besides, physical activity and basic psychological needs is positively correlated with mental health, respectively, while parental psychological control is not correlated with mental health. Anxiety is negatively associated with mental health. Mediation analysis revealed that anxiety played a mediation role in the relationship between basic psychological needs and mental health. In conclusion, mental health of Chinese engineering college students deserves extensive attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Proper intervention on physical activity, basic psychological needs, and anxiety may be beneficial to improve their mental health. In addition, meeting basic psychological needs is beneficial to reduce anxiety and improve mental health further.

The purpose of this study was to test how basic psychological needs satisfaction contributes to career commitment through career satisfaction among nurses. There is an increasing rate of turnover among nurses and a general shortage of nurses in many countries. This has made it necessary for researchers to focus on the career satisfaction of nurses and their commitment to their careers. A cross-sectional design was employed in a survey of 233 nurses in public hospitals in southeastern Nigeria. Participants responded to self-report measures of career commitment, career satisfaction, and work-related basic needs satisfaction. In the regression-based path analysis, basic psychological needs satisfaction was positively related to career satisfaction (p < .001) and career commitment (p < .001) of nurses. Career satisfaction was positively related to career commitment (p < .05). Career satisfaction mediated the relationship between basic psychological needs satisfaction and career commitment (95% confidence interval [.009, .068]). The results show that basic psychological needs are relevant for employee commitment, giving support to the self-determination theory. Career satisfaction provides further explanations for the relationship between psychological needs satisfaction and career commitment, although there could be reverse causal links. The results advance knowledge on how satisfaction of basic psychological needs can increase career satisfaction and foster more career commitment. Designing work environments that help employees to fulfil their basic psychological needs is important in the retention of nurses.

The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of basic psychological needs in the relationship between students’ perceptions of classroom environment and their academic emotions. A total of 268 students (137 males and 131 females) were selected from high schools located in Yasouj (Iran) via multistage cluster sampling. The participants filled out the Pekrun, Goetz, and Frenzel’s (2005) Achievement Emotions Questionnaire, Learning Environment Inventory, and Basic Needs Satisfaction. The proposed model was assessed by Structural Equation Model (SEM) using AMOS. Results indicated that the suggested model had a good fit with the empirical data. Furthermore, students’ perceptions of classroom environment had a positive and significant relationship with psychological needs satisfaction and academic emotions. In addition, satisfaction of basic psychological needs significantly and positively influenced academic emotions. Overall, findings demonstrated that satisfaction of basic psychological needs played a mediating role in the relationship between students’ perceptions of classroom environment and academic emotions.

Psychological issues have a complex and multidimensional impact on a college athlete's training and performance. As the reserve talent of competitive sports, it is very important to investigate the psychological health of athletes. This study aims to explore the association between generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), basic psychological needs (BPN), and mental health (MH) among Chinese college athletes. Chinese college athletes who were willing to participate in the study, had participated in national competitions, and had a Chinese athlete rating certificate were included in this study. Participants completed the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale (BNSG-S). The study involved 665 college athletes (415 males and 250 females), with an average age of 20.43 years (SD = 1.68). We performed descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and moderated chain mediation analyses using SPSS 22.0 and Hayes' PROCESS macro. The results of the final model showed that basic psychological needs were positively correlated with mental health (r = 0.443, p < 0.001), while PTSD (r = -0.346, p < 0.001) and generalized anxiety disorder (r = -0.527, p < 0.001) were negatively correlated with mental health among college athletes. There were significant indirect impacts. According to the bootstrapping results, basic psychological needs and generalized anxiety disorder played a mediating role in 22.54% and 50.29% of the total effects of PTSD on mental health, respectively. Meanwhile, the chain mediating effect of basic psychological needs and generalized anxiety disorder (7.23%) was also significant. The study's findings advance our understanding of the connections between PTSD and mental health and highlight the significant roles played by basic psychological needs and generalized anxiety disorder in that link among Chinese college athletes.

Drawing on basic need theory, we explored the relationships between psychological well-being (PWB), basic psychological needs (BPN), and social support (SS) among Korean wheelchair curling players. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between PWB, BPN satisfaction, and social support in Korean wheelchair curling players. Fifty- two elite wheelchair curling players registered at the Korea Wheelchair Curling Association (KWCA) were completed a survey. A questionnaire battery includes four categories: (a) a demographic characteristic questionnaire (8 items), (b) the Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB; 16 items), (c) the Scales of Basic Psychological Needs (SBPN; 12 items), (d) Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ; 20 items). All data were collected using self-report questionnaires and analyzed using principle component analysis, Cronbach''s α, descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and robust multiple regression. The Cronbach’s alphas for PWB, BPN, and SS were 0.96, 0.85-0.95, and 0.74-0.90, respectively. Both BPN and SS were significantly correlated with PWB (p < .05). In the regression analysis, BPN and emotional support significantly predicted PWB, explaining 78.1% of the variance. From a theoretical perspective, these results support basic need theory; more practically, the results highlight the potential importance of strategies and environments that support basic need satisfaction and high-quality relationships.

Background: Suicide is a global public health concern. To explore the relationship between childhood maltreatment and college students’ suicidal ideation and the mediating role of social support and basic psychological needs. Methods: A questionnaire survey of 625 college students was conducted using the childhood Maltreatment Scale, the Suicidal Ideation Scale, the Social Support Scale, and the Basic Needs Satisfaction Scale. Results: The study revealed that (1) childhood maltreatment positively predicted college students’ suicidal ideation, (2) social support and basic psychological needs played independent mediating roles before childhood maltreatment and suicidal ideation, and (3) social support and basic psychological needs played chain mediating roles before childhood maltreatment and suicidal ideation. Conclusions: Childhood maltreatment positively predicts suicidal ideation among college students, and social support and basic psychological needs play a chain mediating role. This study contributes to the understanding of the effects of childhood maltreatment on suicidal ideation and its mechanism of action, which is of practical significance for the prevention and intervention of college students’ suicidal behaviours.