Intention-behaviour relationship within community running clubs: examining the moderating influence of leisure constraints and facilitators within the environment

While intention is considered the proximal determinant of behaviour, scholars point to an intention-behaviour gap, calling for research that accounts for the environmental moderators that constrain or facilitate the intention-behaviour relationship. Adopting an ecological perspective, the study examined the potential moderating influence of five leisure constraints and facilitators on the running intention-behaviour relationship within the context of community running dubs. Employing a repeated measures design with members of four community running dubs across the Midwest United States, results of the multi-level modelling indicate running intentions and time significantly predict actual running behaviours. The findings provide no evidence that the leisure constraints and facilitators (leisure constraints, leader autonomy support, perceived motivational climate, dub operations and dub programmes) influenced the relationship between running intention and running behaviour. These results add further evidence to support the intention-behaviour relationship and suggest this relationship may fluctuate across contexts.

Automated summary

This study examines the moderating influence of leisure constraints and facilitators on the relationship between running intention and behavior. The results show that running intentions and time significantly predict actual running behaviors, but leisure constraints and facilitators do not influence this relationship.