Desafio ou ameaça?

: preditores da manutenção da prática de exercício físico

Abstract

Although in today's society there is greater knowledge of regular physicalexercise’s importance and benefits, this practice does not always acquire the desirableregularity, which is fundamental for maintaining health.Grounded on this problem, the present study aimed to analyze predictors ofphysical exercise maintenance in a gym context, such as motivational regulations, theperception of demands placed by this practice, as well as the moderating effect ofperceived resources in the relationship between perceived demands and maintenance. Alongitudinal study took place in two moments, between March 3-25, 2020 correspondingto the beginning of the pandemic by COVID-19 in Portugal (T1) and between April 10-27, 2020 corresponding to the household confinement period (T2). A survey based onquestionnaires made available through the Qualtrics online platform, to explore changesin behavioral maintenance in co-occurrence with changes in the context, not initiallyconsidered in the study’s objectives. 90 practitioners of physical exercise in a gymparticipated in T1 and 42 in T2.The psychometric indicators of the Perceived Demands and Resources Scaleproved was found to be adequate. There was a higher perception of resources thandemands, in relation to the practice of physical exercise in a gym context, representing anevaluation of the situation as a challenge. Controlled motivation proved to be a positivepredictor, and the perception of demands and resources as negative predictors of physicalexercise maintenance. However, the moderator role of perceived resources in therelationship between perceived demands and maintenance, was refuted.The results suggest potential factors for maintaining the practice of physicalexercise in a gym by using a biopsychosocial approach focused on enhancing resources,not yet applied in this specific context.

Date of Award	8 Jan 2021
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Rui Gaspar (Supervisor)