Motivation for recreational sport participation and leisure constraints: a segmentation perspective

Introduction Physical inactivity is a global problem today, with multiple negative impacts on physical and psychological health. This study used the self-determination perspective and the hierarchical model of leisure constraints to study recreational sport participation within the framework of the leisure negotiation proposition. Methods Latent class analysis (LCA) was employed in order to cluster individuals according to their motivation level (intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation) and to compare the cluster groups' scores on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural constraints. The sample of the study included three hundred and eighteen ( N = 318) individuals of the general population in Greece. Results Three distinct segments emerged from the latent class analysis, based on the motivation scores. The study revealed that the cluster with the highest intrinsic and extrinsic motivation scores had the lowest intrapersonal constraints scores, providing support for the important roles of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in successful negotiation and overcoming intrapersonal constraints. Conclusion The role of extrinsic motivation should be noted, as it is equally important in the context of recreational sports, alongside intrinsic motivation, through the individual's internalization processes.