Background/Purpose: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a multidimensional construct that includes physical, emotional, social, and school functioning (Varni et al., 2001). Although physical education (PE) has been identified as an important setting to encourage physically active lifestyles that can ultimately play a critical role in promoting students' health, few studies have examined the relationships between school students' motivation in PE, physical activity (PA), and HRQOL. Using the expectancy-value model (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002) as a conceptual framework, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among these variables.
Method: Participants were 282 (143 boys and 139 girls) students from a suburban middle school who completed previously validated surveys assessing their expectancy-value constructs (expectancy-related beliefs, task values), self-reported PA, and HRQOL.
Analysis/Results: Expectancy-related beliefs and task values were positively related to PA and all subscales of HRQOL. PA was also positively associated with physical, emotional, social functions of HRQOL. All aspects of HRQOL were significantly related to one another. Four hierarchical regression analyses, entering PA in the first block, followed by the expectancy-value constructs, indicated that expectancy-related beliefs positively predicted physical, emotional, social, and school functioning (R2 = 16.9 %, 8.8 %, 13.9 %, 8.2 %; β = .43, 28, .37, .30 respectively; all p < .01). Regression analysis further revealed that expectancy-related beliefs positively predicted PA (R2 = 16.7 %, β = .41, p < .01), but task values did not.
Conclusions: Health promoters should reinforce positive motivation beliefs in PE to increase students' PA and HRQOL.
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