The motivational process for physical activity in young adults with autism spectrum disorder

Background: Many young adults, specifically those with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), do not meet the national physical activity (PA) guidelines. One way to address this problem may be to examine the factors that motivate individuals to engage in PA. However, the majority of current literature does not consider the unique characteristics of individuals with ASD, which may influence their motivation.

Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine Self-Determination Theory predictors for PA for young adults with ASD.

Methods: Respondents included 143 young adults with ASD who completed a survey pertaining to their motivational process to engage in physical activity, based on self-determination theory variables.

Results: Goodness of fit indices reported from a path analysis suggests the current data closely align with the self-determination theory (χ² (3, N = 143) = 11.99, p > .01, GFI = 0.97, NFI = 0.95, CFI = . 96, RMSEA = 0.15). The three basic psychological needs explained 39% of the variance within respondents' self-determined motivation, and self-determined motivation explained 8% of the variance in PA levels.

Conclusions: These findings support utilizing the self-determination theory within health promotion efforts for young adults with ASD. Practitioners should focus on enhancing the perceived basic psychological needs of young adults within physical activity settings.