Motivation and Exercise Behavior among Active Duty Army Officers

Physical fitness is crucial for optimal performance in many military occupational specialties both at home and more importantly within deployed theaters of operation. However, the command focus and ability to support regular exercise and physical training (PT) varies among the four distinct branches of the Army. Hence, the ultimate responsibility for incorporating a program of regular PT falls upon the individual service member. The long-term goals of this program of research are to predict the factors that affect exercise behavior among Army officers. This theory-based study utilized self-determination theory (SDT), which explains why some people are more motivated in their behaviors than others. In SDT behavior is represented by taxonomy of regulatory styles that lie along a continuum from amotivation to intrinsic motivation, i.e., the highest state of motivation. The source of motivation, intrinsic or extrinsic, and one's sense of autonomy in performing an activity affects how an individual regulates their behavior. This cross-sectional study surveyed 320 officers attending Intermediate Leadership Education (ILE) at five different military posts to examine whether different behavioral regulations could predict physical fitness level as measured by the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), and whether APFT scores and motivational attributes differed by branch specialty. Results of the study showed that bivariate correlations of APFT scores were more highly correlated with the more autonomous versus controlling regulations. Among the autonomous regulations, identified regulation was the only significant predictor of higher APFT scores. A better understanding of the relationships between motivational regulations of exercise behavior provides fertile ground for interventions that may improve exercise compliance among the active duty military population. This will ensure that the military stays "fit and ready".