Globally, a large proportion of people do not participate in adequate physical activity to gain health benefits. Physical inactivity is a primary risk factor for global mortality. Research suggests that motives and passion influence participation in physical activity. The main purposes of the present study were to examine the relationship between motives and passion for participation in physical activity among adults, and to examine whether motives and passion predicted physical activity. Prior to data collection, we translated and validated the Physical Activity and Leisure Motivation Scale (PALMS) and the Passion Scale (PS) into Urdu. With the research sample, both translated questionnaires showed acceptable internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and factorial validity. To address the main purposes, we then employed a quantitative, cross-sectional research design, with a sample of 572 adults between 18 and 65 years (31.51 ± 10.25), who regularly participated in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Participants completed the PALMS, the PS, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Correlation coefficients showed strong relationships between motives and harmonious passion, and weaker, negative relationships between motives and obsessive passion. We used stepwise multiple regression to test whether motives and passion subscales were significant predictors of overall PA measured by the IPAQ. In step 1 of the regression model, mastery and physical condition motives were significant predictors of overall physical activity. Further, in step 2, the mastery motive and harmonious passion were significant predictors of overall physical activity, accounting for 26% of the variance, with F (5, 566) = 38.84, p < 0.01. The present study provides a basis for physical activity interventions examining whether increasing motives and passion leads to higher adherence to and lowered dropout from physical activity.
Keywords: adults; motives; passion; physical activity; physical inactivity.