A study of self-esteem, motivation and perceived barriers to participation in sport and exercise among secondary school pupils

Abstract

IN March 1992 a pilot survey was undertaken to collect data on the views of Year 10 (14-15-year-old) secondary-school children in Manchester, to discover what motivates and what prevents them from taking part in sporting activities. They were also asked about which sports they preferred to do. Relationships between these variables and their self-esteem were examined. Motivation contained elements of intrinsic enjoyment and social participation. Exercise was not deliberately used to reduce stress, but its stress-reducing effects were clearly identified. Barriers to participation were both psychological and practical in nature. High levels of self-esteem were associated with few perceived barriers to participation. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings for health promotion and education are discussed. SURVEYS from within the UK and elsewhere have demonstrated that the levels of physical exercise and sporting activity among both primary-and secondaryschool children are typically low. A large proportion of individuals from these age ranges do not participate in sport on any regular basis' '. There is also the suggestion that teenagers who have been involved in sporting activity while at school are likely to stop this when they leave full-time education. Evidence in favour of the positive effects of regular exercise on physical health now seems unequivocal'. It is the basis for key elements in policies, at a national and international level, which aim to increase the levels of exercise in the adult population''&dquo; tl It has been shown that there are significant positive relationships between physical activity, physical fitness and mental health, with growing evidence that improvements in the fomer may lead to improvements in the latter. It is also widely recognised within clmcal psychology and allied disciplines that positive self-esteem is a major component of good mental health, both in adults and in children.There are a number of theoretical models for communicating information and advice about health-related behaviours, and the extent to which individuals accept and adhere to such advice 10. These models recognise the important relationships between satisfaction with such communications and the hkehhood that advice will be followed. They also emphasise the importance of identifying both the motivations to undertake the behaviour in question and any perceived barriers or counter-arguments to adopting the recommended behaviours.Examining the relationships between self-esteem, the motivation to undertake physical activity and the perception of barriers to doing so would provide useful information for health and educational professionals to use for creating strategies to increase the participation of young people in sporting activity. There do not appear to be any published data on this specific topic The present study was therefore undertaken among a sample of secondary-school children, with the aim of collecting data on the interrelationships between these three main areas: self-esteem, mot...