Motivation of Physical Activity Amongst College Students in Sierra Leone

The study consists of self-reported measures, which could lead to potential problem and or biasness in informed judgement with respect to scoring, interpretation and reporting of the survey outcome.

However, there were many other uncontrollable factors, which could affect college students’ self-decisions and self-efficacy to be physically active such as the unaffordability and unavailability of recreational and leisure centers, facilities and equipment, lack of interest in physical activity venture and lack of instruction, which will also affect the outcome of the research.

The study was an exploratory and comparative survey, focusing on the objectives and not an experimental or field research and or case study survey, which mostly focuses on hypothesis for the outcome. Hence, could also affect the outcome of the research.

And that the study was not a longitudinal study, but rather a cross-sectional comparative survey of data collection, measuring, scoring and evaluation, which could also affect the outcome of the research and could not also be sufficient for any generalisation.

However, the study did not focus on the comparative relationship analysis between the two theoretical frameworks i.e. the self-determination theory (SDT) and the transtheoretical model (TTM), but rather focused on the comparative descriptive analysis. Hence limited in informed judgement.

CONCLUSION

Behavioural Regulation in Exercise (BRE)

That intrinsic motivation was the one factor that the majority of the participants interviewed or questioned from Njala University under institution responded to, whereas identified and external regulations were the least responded to regarding behavioural regulation in exercise, especially participants from Njala University. And that more females responded positively to identified regulation in contrast to their male counterparts who responded more strongly to external regulation. That majority of the respondents from Eastern Polytechnic and females under sex, responded more in favour of identified regulation for physical activity.

 Motives for Physical Activity (MPA)

That the greater majority of participants mostly from Njala University responded more positively to competence motive for physical activity as another form of intrinsic motivation for self-determination regarding motives for physical activity. That females responded more positively to fitness motive for self-determination under extrinsic motivation regarding motives for physical activity. That greater majority of respondents from Eastern Polytechnic under institution and males under sex, clearly responded more to appearance motive and social motive respectively under motives for physical activity.

Decisional Balance Scale (DBS)

That greater majority of participants mostly from Eastern Polytechnic under institution and mostly females under sex, responded more to the advantages (pros.) regarding decisional balance scale for physical activity.

Physical Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (PESES)

That greater majority of participants mostly from Eastern Polytechnic under institution and females under sex, responded more positively with higher values in overcoming barriers to do physical activity. That greater majority of respondents from Njala University under institution and males under sex, responded with lower values compared to their counterparts regarding physical activity self-efficacy in overcoming barriers to do physical activity.

Physical Activity Status (PAS)

That greater majority of respondents from Eastern Polytechnic under institution and males under sex recorded higher values regarding physical activity not enough under physical activity status (PAS). And that an outstanding number of them from Njala University and females agreed more to physical activity venture on the average either under mild physical activity venture (MPAV-1) practiced weekly, on weekdays or on weekends, under moderate physical activity venture (MPAV-2) practiced weekly, on weekdays or on weekends or under vigorous physical activity venture (VPAV) practiced weekly, on weekdays or on weekends.

IMPLICATIONS

Overview for Research Implications

This study was a cross-sectional comparative survey of two tertiary institutions (i.e. Njala University and Eastern Polytechnic) in Sierra Leone with sampled size of five hundred participants whose motivation for physical activity have been measured, scored and evaluated through self-reported questionnaire that was developed and structured as the research instrument for the purpose of data collection for motivation of physical activity amongst college students in sierra leone. However, in accordance with the results of the finding and discussions thereafter, the following implications are forwarded for teaching of college students to be physically active by choice and freewill, and for future researchers.

Practical Implications

Practical implications are very eminent and highly and likely needed for detailed and more comprehensive implementations to be carried out in the domain of motivation of physical activity amongst college students within the rank and file of internally-determined factors under intrinsic motivation i.e. autonomy for improved individual self-efficacy and also within the rank and file of externally-determined factors under extrinsic motivation i.e. heteronomy for improved individual self-efficacy through self-determination theory (SDT). Also very eminent and highly and likely needed for detailed and more comprehensive implementation to be carried out in the domain of motivation of physical activity amongst college students within the rank and file of advantageously – determined factors under motivation due to incentives for improved individual self-efficacy and also within the rank and file of disadvantageously – determined factors under amotivation due to counterincentives) for improved individual decision for physical activity under barrier self-efficacy through transtheoretical model (TTM) regarding motivation of physical activity venture either: . under mild physical activity venture (MPAV-1) undertaking or planning to undertake weekly, on weekdays and on weekends, . under moderate physical activity venture (MPAV-2) undertaking or planning to undertake weekly, on weekdays and on weekends or. under vigorous physical activity venture (VPAV) undertaking or planning to undertake weekly, on weekdays and on weekends of college students in sierra leone using the following strategies:

1. To allow students make choices (autonomy) on their own regarding physical activity venture [mild physical activity venture (MPAV-1), moderate physical activity venture (MPAV-2) and vigorous physical activity venture (VPAV)] they deemed physically active in.
2. To monitor why students deemed necessary to make externally-determined choices (heteronomy) regarding physical activity venture [mild physical activity venture (MPAV-1), moderate physical activity venture (MPAV-2) and vigorous physical activity venture (VPAV)].
3. To understand the major role played by governmental and non-government organizations in promoting physical activity standards in course programmes under physical health education to nurture sustainable, competence and high participation.
4. To institute mandatory programme in physical health education across schools (pre school, primary school, junior high school – JSS and senior high school – SSS) and tertiary institutions (technical & vocational institutes, colleges, polytechnic and universities) to help educate on the pros (advantages) of physical activity venture (PAV) at all levels of students before graduation to guarantee motivation.
5.  To provide physiological and psychological support that would encourage and motivate college students’ participation in sustainable physical activity venture (SPAV) either under mild physical activity venture (MPAV-1), under moderate physical activity venture (MPAV-2) or under vigorous physical activity venture (VPAV) in sierra leone.
6. To develop theoretical as well as practical intervention aimed at maintaining maximum participation of students’ physical activity venture (PAV) either under mild physical activity venture (MPAV-1), under moderate physical activity venture (MPAV-2) or under vigorous physical activity venture (VPAV) particularly the initial entry into all levels of learning institutions in sierra leone.

 

Directions for Future Research Directions for future research will expand on the motivation of physical activity venture (PAV) based on the relationships and levels of self-determination theory (SDT) and the transtheoretical model (TTM) under behavioural regulation in exercise (BRE), motives for physically activity (MPA), decisional balance scale (DBS), physical exercise self-efficacy scale (PESES) and weekly leisure time exercise (WLTE) with an increased in sampled participants in sierra leone. In that light, examining results of the finding within the context of its limitations however, provides recommendation and or directions for future research.

That a very eminent and highly and likely needed detailed and more comprehensive research be carried out in the domain of motivation of physical activity amongst college students in sierra leone within internally-determined factors under intrinsic motivation i.e. autonomy for individual self-efficacy and also within externally-determined factors under extrinsic motivation i.e. heteronomy for individual self-efficacy through self-determination theory (SDT). Also very eminent and highly and likely needed detailed and more comprehensive research to be carried out in the domain of motivation of physical activity amongst college students within advantageously-determined factors under motivation due to incentives for individual self-efficacy and also within disadvantageously-determined factors under amotivation due to counterincentives for individual barrier self-efficacy decision for physical activity venture (PAV) through transtheoretical model (TTM).

That a detailed and more comprehensive research be carried out amongst college students (covering more number of respondents and tertiary institutions in sierra leone) focusing purposely on the comparative relationship between the self-determination theory (SDT) and the transtheoretical model (TTM) regarding motivation of physical activity venture either:  under mild physical activity venture (MPAV-1) undertaking or planning to undertake weekly, on weekdays and on weekends,  under moderate physical activity venture (MPAV-2) undertaking or planning to undertake weekly, on weekdays and on weekends or. under vigorous physical activity venture (VPAV) undertaking or planning to undertake weekly, on weekdays and on weekends of college students in sierra leone.

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