Flow Theory of Intrinsic Motivation for Exercise Adherence

The purpose of this study was to test the flow theory of exercise adherence. Flow theory posits that exercise can be intrinsically rewarding if the experience of self / time transcendence and control / mastery is achieved during performance. Csikszentmihalyi's research suggests that adherence to behaviors including: rock climbing, group drinking, playing music, and work performance are related to flow. Flow for exercise adherence is defined as the perception of self/time transcendence and control/mastery during exercise. It was hypothesized that higher levels of Flow during exercise will be associated with exercise adherence rates. The first step was to test the validity and reliability of the Flow for Exercise Adherence Scale (FEAS). FEAS items were refined through three rounds of expert panel review for face and content validity. The FEAS was administered to 445 young adults (age range 19 - 28). The subjects completed the FEAS twice during a seven day period. Free living exercise was then prospectively tracked for 4 weeks using the 7 day recall developed by Petosa. The 7 day recall has established validity and assesses vigorous exercise in terms of mode, duration and day of the week. Exercise stage of change was measures using an instrument developed by Markus and Simkin. Confirmatory factor analysis using principal components extraction of the FEAS revealed two factors: mastery (eigen value 4.93) and transcendence (eigen value 2.49) for the FEAS scale. Coefficient apha for FEAS subscales was .91 for mastery and .96 for transcendence. Seven day test-retest stability correlation was .81. FEAS scores differentiated between stages of change for exercise as theorized. FEAS scores were significantly correlated with days of vigorous physical activity for subjects in the maintenance (r=.52) and action (.31) stage. The results of this study are consistent with flow theory. Intrinsic motivation can be an important factor in free living exercise adherence.