Daily moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is critical for high school (HS) students in rural areas who are not meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines. HS students who are not involved in sports and other activities that help them meet current PA recommendations need additional programs to assist them in achieving this objective. Although PA is vital to their health, limited research has evaluated PA interventions with rural HS students. The two-fold purpose of this dissertation is: (1) Examine autonomous motivation for PA; and (2) Test the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of a PA intervention with rural HS students. The dissertation aims are: (1) To analyze the concept of adolescent autonomous motivation for PA, (2) To test the preliminary efficacy of a 10-week Teen Leisure Time PA Club (TLC) intervention among rural HS students, as compared to a control condition, in: a) increasing MVPA (primary outcome; min/hr.; accelerometer-measured) and decreasing sedentary behavior, body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (% BF), and perceived stress; and b) improving psychosocial (basic psychological needs [BPNs]: competence, autonomy, and relatedness and autonomous motivation for PA), (3) Evaluate the feasibility of the intervention related to: HS students' enrollment, attrition, and attendance in the club; delivery/receipt of avatar motivational messages and weekly PA goals and strategies; and adherence to protocols, (4) To explore HS students' and club instructors' satisfaction with the intervention (individual interviews).Manuscript 1 is a concept analysis of adolescent autonomous motivation for PA. The review utilized Rodger's Evolutionary Model of concept analysis. Five online databases were searched for studies published in English utilizing key words, such as adolescents/teenagers, motivation, autonomous motivation, and PA. The results yielded 1971 records, with 68 articles meeting eligibility criteria. Findings demonstrate that adolescent autonomous motivation for PA is conceptually defined as a personal desire to attain PA because the behavior is fun and enjoyable, or it is an important part of how the adolescent self-identifies. Manuscript 2 and 3 are based on data designed to evaluate a PA intervention. Two rural school districts were approached to participate and students were recruited from their home room classes during school hours. The study population included HS students in grades 9 through 12 that were willing to participate. Manuscript 2 examines quantitative findings from this original intervention study. Measures included the primary outcome of MVPA (via ActiGraph); and secondary outcomes of sedentary behavior, perceived stress, BMI, %BF, and self-report PA. No differences in accelerometer measured or self-reported PA emerged between the intervention and control groups at baseline and post-intervention. Retention rates (83%) and positive feedback from participants supported the intervention's acceptability. Enrollment rate was very low (1.88%). No between-group differences occurred in any of the measured variables. Manuscript 3 examined qualitative data from semi-structured interviews conducted with a sub-sample of 10 HS students. Interviews explored adolescents' perceptions of their experiences with the TLC and the degree that the environment was autonomy-supportive. Recorded interviews were transcribed, and two independent reviewers coded the data. Findings showed that these concepts (BPNs and environmental variables) are important and help support autonomous motivation for PA. In summary, this study, guided by the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) established that adolescent autonomous motivation for PA may contribute to increase PA in rural HS students and that the TLC intervention was acceptable, and feasible.
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