Physical Activity Interventions for University Students: Understanding the Psychological Determinants

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at the University of Tartu, Estonia, have conducted a study to develop a questionnaire assessing the psychological determinants of physical activity (PA) in young adults. The study aimed to create a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of health psychological PA interventions in university students and young adults. The research used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to develop a questionnaire covering the core topics of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and acceptance of negative outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study aimed to develop a questionnaire to assess the psychological determinants of PA in young adults, including attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, and acceptance of negative outcomes.
  • The questionnaire was developed through three phases: item generation, pretesting for clarity and understanding, and item selection using conceptual and psychometric criteria.
  • The final shortened questionnaire consists of four question blocks: positive and negative behavioral beliefs, acceptance of negative outcomes, subjective norms, and control beliefs.
  • The questionnaire was found to be effective in predicting self-reported PA, with negative behavioral beliefs and acceptance of negative outcomes having opposite-signed correlations with self-reported PA.
  • The study suggests that understanding the psychological determinants of PA behavior is crucial for developing effective interventions to increase PA among young adults.
  • The questionnaire can be used to assess the beliefs and attitudes related to PA in young adults when planning interventions, as well as evaluating the effects of health psychological interventions aiming to increase PA.
  • The study included a pilot study with a sample size of N=447, which was used to pretest the questionnaire and select items for inclusion in the final version.

Statistics:

  • The study used a sample size of N=447 for the pretest of the questionnaire.
  • The final shortened questionnaire consists of 4 question blocks, each with a specific set of items.
  • The questionnaire was found to have opposite-signed correlations with self-reported PA, with negative behavioral beliefs and acceptance of negative outcomes having correlations of -0.22 and 0.32, respectively.

Sources:

  • Toward Comprehensive Assessment of Beliefs and Attitudes Related to Physical Activity in Young Adults: Pilot Study. JMIR Formative Research, 2025;9.
  • NewsRx. New Findings on Health and Medicine Discussed by Researchers at University of Tartu (Toward Comprehensive Assessment of Beliefs and Attitudes Related to Physical Activity in Young Adults: Pilot Study). Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. November 1, 2025; p 3420.