Motivations of Iranian University Students for Participation in Sporting Activities

This study was designed to reveal university students’ motivations for sport. A sample of 934 students (male: 47.4%; female: 52.6%) with different educational levels and fields of study were involved in our research. A revised and developed scale was employed for measuring the students’ motivation. Inferential and descriptive statistics were used to describe the differences in students’ motivations for sport. The results indicated that having fun and experiencing joy, maintaining physical and mental health, and having a fit body were rated most frequently as the students’ motivations for sport; whereas spending leisure time, being with friends, and participating in competitions were found as the lowest motivational dimensions. Furthermore, various motivational differences could be observed between students regarding their gender, age, educational level, and field of study. In conclusion, it is suggested that preparing special plans based on the students’ different motivations and on their special needs for sport could improve their participation rate in sporting activities.