ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Sport Psychology
This article is part of the Research TopicEmotional Intelligence in Youth Sports: Enhancing Performance, Coaching, and Well-BeingView all 13 articles
Effect of Perceived Autonomy Supports on Exercise Persistence for adolescents: an Integrated Model Based on Basic Psychological Needs Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior
Provisionally accepted
- 1Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
- 2East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- 3Changchun Normal University, Changchun, China
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Abstract Introduction: Although previous research has confirmed a positive association between perceived autonomy support and adolescents' exercise persistence, the underlying psychological mechanisms underlyingdriving this relationship remain insufficiently explored. The study aims to investigate the relationship and underlying mechanisms between linking perceived autonomy support and to exercise persistence in adolescents, based on the integration integrated framework of basic psychological needs (BPN) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Methods: Using a simplified stratified random sampling method, we surveyed 4,345 adolescents aged from 10-to 20 years old. They are required to completed measures ofthe perceived autonomy support, BPN, TPB, and exercise persistence scales, respectively. A sStructural equation modelling (SEM) was constructed to test the effectiveness of this the integrated model and examine the hypothesized relationshipspathways. Results: The SEM analysis showed that perceived autonomy support directly predicted exercise persistence. Additionally, tThishe relationship between perceived autonomy support and exercise persistence was also partially mediated via BPN alone, and via by the chained mediation of BPN and TPB constructs. HoweverFurthermore, this indirect effect was moderated by educational stage and gender. For junior high school students, behavioral attitudes dido not significantly influence behavioral intentions. Both behavioral intentions and perceived behavioral control positively affected exercise persistence, whereaswhile perceived behavioral control didoes not significantly influence exercise persistence amongin female senior high school students. Conclusions: These findings not only confirm the applicability of integrating BPN and TPB in enhancingto explain how exercise persistence through the exercise support environment but also emphasizefoster adolescents' exercise persistence. They further highlight the importance of tailoring interventions strategies to differences in considering variations in learningeducational stages and gender during interventions targeting exercise persistence in adolescents. Further research should build on this integrated model to design stage-and gender-specific interventions and examine their longitudinal effectiveness across different developmental periods. Key words: perceived autonomy support, exercise persistence, adolescent, basic psychological needs, theory of planned behaviour
Keywords: Perceived autonomy support, Exercise persistence, Adolescent, basicpsychological needs, Theory of Planned Behaviour
Received: 26 Aug 2025; Accepted: 27 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Zhu, Yu and Jiabin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xuening Li
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