Background: This study applied self-determination theory to investigate the mediating effect of basic psychological needs between exercise autonomy support and exercise behavior, to construct a path model for promoting college students' participation in physical exercise, and to provide a theoretical basis for intervention of college students' physical exercise behavior. Method: A questionnaire survey was conducted using convenience sampling. The Autonomy Support Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scale, and Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 (PARS-3) questionnaires were used. Participants were 1,155 college students (age 19.38 ± 0.979; 524 males, 631 females). Statistical methods of regression analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data. Results: Exercise autonomy supports significant predictor of physical exercise behavior (β= 0.235, R2= 0.06, P<0.01). Basic psychological needs for exercise had a full mediation effect between exercise autonomy support and exercise behavior (β=0.304, R2=0.11, P<0.01), and the indirect effect was 4.085. Conclusion: The satisfaction of basic psychological needs is an important mediator of the role of autonomy support in the process of college students' exercise behavior. College students perceive that the higher the level of teachers' autonomy support, the more conducive to the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs of individuals, thus prompting them to actively participate in physical exercise and form an autonomous and regular physical exercise lifestyle.
Zhang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.