The importance of self-determined motivation towards physical activity in patients with schizophrenia

There is a need for theoretically-based research on the motivational processes linked to the commencement and continuation of physical activity in patients with schizophrenia. Within the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework, we investigated the SDT tenets in these patients by examining the factor structure of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2) and by investigating associations between motivation and PA. The secondary aim was to study differences in motivation according to gender, educational level, treatment setting and disease stage. A total of 129 patients (449) with schizophrenia agreed to participate. Exploratory factor analysis showed sufficient convergence with the original factor for amotivation, external and introjected regulation, while identified and intrinsic regulations loaded on a single factor which we labeled autonomous regulation. Significant positive correlations were found between the total physical activity score and the subscales amotivation (r= -0.44, P <0.001), external regulation (r= -0.27, P <0.001), and autonomous regulation (r= 0.57, P <0.001). Outpatients reported more external (P <0.05) and introjected (P <0.05) regulations than inpatients. Our results suggest that patients' level of self-determination may play an important role in the adoption and maintenance of health promoting behaviors in patients with schizophrenia. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.