Effortful self-control as a potential target for physical activity maintenance

Abstract

Sustaining physical activity is essential for long-term health benefits, yet most theory-driven interventions often show only short-lived effects. The reliance on effortful self-control may be critical for promoting behavioral maintenance and explaining why autonomous motivation and habit support long-term engagement in physical activity. This investigation was cross-sectional and examined whether effortful self-control is associated with physical activity behavior (Study 1) and whether it mediates the associations between autonomous motivation and habit with physical activity (Study 2). We also tested whether temptations mediate the associations between autonomous motivation and habit with effortful self-control. In Study 1, 897 adults completed a single-item measure of effortful self-control and self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). In Study 2, 603 adults completed multi-item measures of effortful self-control, autonomous motivation, habit, and temptations, along with self-reported MVPA. In Study 1, higher effortful self-control was associated with lower MVPA, r_s = −.56, 95 % CI [-.61, −.51]. This association was replicated in Study 2, r_s = −.51, 95 % CI [-.58, −.44]. Mediation analyses showed that the relationships between autonomous motivation and habit with MVPA have a significant indirect effect through effortful self-control. Additionally, temptations partially mediated the associations between both motivational constructs and effortful self-control. These findings provide preliminary support for the role of effortful self-control as a psychological process linking autonomous motivation and habit with physical activity behavior. Reducing the amount of effortful self-control for physical activity, by strengthening motivation for physical activity and weakening temptations, may be a promising strategy to support sustained engagement in physical activity.