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The article has been peer‑reviewed and published in the scientific journal International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being: Exploring basic psychological needs within and across domains of physical activity.
What is the study about?
The study explores how adults experience satisfaction, unfulfilment and frustration of basic psychological needs across different domains of physical activity, using a qualitative approach. Drawing on 42 semi-structured interviews with Danish adults, it provides in-depth insight into how motivational experiences are embedded in everyday activity contexts.
Specifically, the analysis examines how experiences of autonomy, competence and relatedness vary within and across four physical activity domains — transport, household, occupation and recreation — and how these domain-specific need experiences shape motivation and engagement in physical activity.
Main conclusions:
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Experiences of basic psychological needs differ markedly between domains; tasks seen as obligatory (e.g. household) often frustrate needs, while chosen activities (e.g. recreation) support need satisfaction.
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Experiences of autonomy satisfaction can emerge even in utilitarian contexts (e.g. transport) when individuals perceive control over the activity.
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Experiences of competence and relatedness satisfaction/frustration vary with context and social interaction, with recreation showing strong links to these needs when activities are self-chosen and socially engaging.
Published: 2024
Authors:
Birgitte Westerskov Dalgas, Karsten Elmose-Østerlund and Thomas Bredahl.
Contact:
Birgitte Westerskov Dalgas, bwpedersen@health.sdu.dk
Support/Funding:
Nordea-fonden and University of Southern Denmark.