EXPLORING COLLEGIATE GYMNASTICS ATHLETES' PARTICIPATION MOTIVATIONS AND HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIORS

Utilizing ‘self-determination-theory’ as a theoretical framework, this study examined: features of collegiate gymnastics athletes’ (CGAs) participation motivations, their current health-related behaviors; and those dependent variables relate to their participation motivations. Participants were 163 CGAs (97 Female, 66 Male). The Adapt Questionnaire of Collegiate Gymnastics Athletes’ Motivation and Health-related Behaviors (QCGAMHRB) was employed for data collection. The QCGAMHRB containing 54 items (eight invested general information, 19 examined motivation factors (MFs) and 27 examined health-related behaviors). Data analyses were done by descriptive statistics, reliability analysis and a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 (Gender, female/male) x (Disciplines, natural-science/social-science) x (Financing support, by-parents/by-school) x (Years in college, 1 & 2 years/3 & 4 years) x (Athlete-grades, Elite-Grade/Major-Grade/Participate-Grade) factorial MANOVA. Key findings included: Top four MFs were: MF1 ‘Technical content and unique value’, MF8 ‘Shape body’, MF17 ‘Develop a unique sport skill’, and MF13 ‘Establish prestige’. The MANOVA revealed: ‘Years in college’, and ‘Athlete-grades’ are not the determination aspects, but ‘Gender’ and ‘Disciplines’ are. Female CGAs possess higher participation-motivations than that of male CGAs. Who are major in ‘Social-science’ possess higher participation-motivations than those who are major in ‘Natural-science’. As to the health-related behaviors, the mean score of the participants’ health-related behaviors for all 27 items was 2.73, therefore, their current healthy-related behavior status is between ‘Very-good’ [3] and ‘Good’ [2] using a four points assessment scale. Results of the present investigation added a set of new data and information regarding the essential MFs in their gymnastics practices and competitions; many precious features about these CGAs’ health-related behaviors are also added. These findings provided lively examples and meaningful evidence for the coaches