Testing the Role of State Mindfulness in Facilitating Autonomous Physical Activity Motivation

Consistent with early assertions of self-determination theory (SDT), researchers have provided initial evidence of the role of being more mindful in the autonomous regulation of physical activity behavior. The purpose of this study was to test whether change in need satisfaction mediates the relationship between trajectories of change in state mindfulness during yoga classes and change in autonomous physical activity motivation.

In this study, 315 students (M_age = 20.46, SD_age = 2.15; 87% female) in university yoga classes completed measures of state and trait mindfulness, perceived competence and autonomy (i.e., need satisfaction), and autonomous physical activity motivation multiple times over 16 weeks. A latent growth curve was modeled for state mindfulness with four time points and used to predict change in need satisfaction and autonomous motivation.

Bayes estimation results showed that change in need satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between the slope of state mindfulness and change in autonomous motivation for physical activity over 16 weeks of yoga participation (DIC = 2526.382, PPP = .344). The model explained 47% of the variance in need satisfaction and 65% of the variance in autonomous physical activity motivation.

These results illustrate the potential for growth in mindfulness within the context of yoga to support autonomous motivation for physical activity more generally.