Motivational Factors and Barriers to Participation in Sport Curriculum Activities among College Students

Although participation in sports activities can have positive effects on college students’ happiness, many students are often less motivated and less involved in these programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the motivational factors and barriers to student participation in sport activities at Yazd University. The research method was descriptive-analytical. The population consisted of all undergraduate students at Yazd University, which 360 students were selected as an equal stratified random sample. Also by purposeful sampling, five professors were chosen. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire which its validity and reliability were confirmed. To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistics in form of structural equation rank analysis of variance were used. In addition, a qualitative analysis was used to analyze the explanatory answers. The findings showed that the "personal barriers" (0/63) and the "organizational and management factors" (0/47) have the highest impact on the students’ participation. It was also found that 40% of the variance can be explained by the "individual barriers". Among those indicators, the "poor awareness and attitude" and the "economic weakness" had the highest levels of intervention. Regarding the role of the individual barriers on students’ participation in sport activities, the present study suggests some solutions such as implementing attractive and incentive plans, developing appropriate facilities, and making students more aware regarding the effects of exercise on vitality.