Abstract

Inspired by one of my daughters, Rachel Tam, and her journeys through motherhood while pursuing an MBA at Brigham Young University, this study was conceived from observing her struggle to balance academic responsibilities, motherhood, being a wife, and prenatal care. Her experience highlighted the significance of self-directed physical activity (PA) for young mothers pursuing higher education in a religious institution. This study explores the dynamics of PA, motivation, and well-being among 264 college-attending mothers from Brigham Young University Provo and BYU-Pathway Worldwide. These participants were selected from an online survey pool of over 1,500 female student respondents. All mothers in the study have at least one biological child living with them at least half of the time and provided insights through 36 tailored questions. The research is grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT). It utilized the Godin Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ) to assess activity levels, the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2) for motivational regulation, and the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) to measure well-being. The vast majority of participants--over 98% affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Church), predominantly married freshmen or graduate students, about 75% in their twenties and thirties with young children under 6--demonstrate a notable dedication to physical activity (PA). This dedication surpasses both the average engagement levels of general college female students nationwide and the U.S. PA guidelines. This robust commitment is largely driven by a modest level of intrinsic motivation, potentially correlated with adherence to BYU's health code, the Word of Wisdom, and personal beliefs. Despite facing challenges in balancing academic responsibilities and parenting duties, over 61% of these mothers maintain moderate overall well-being. The motivation analysis reveals an SDT simplex pattern, indicating a significant, positive, but low correlation between intrinsic motivation and enhanced life quality through active PA participation. This suggests that various unique group factors may be associated with the expected SDT relationship between PA, intrinsic motivation, and well-being.

Degree

MA

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Teacher Education

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2024-06-12

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd13299

Keywords

self-determination, college-attending mother, religious institution, physical activity, well-being, quality of life

Language

english

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