Curricular Goals in Physical Education and Social Support for Physical Activity as Predictors of Behavioral Regulation in Exercise

Abstract

Behavioral regulation in exercise is essential for maintaining regular physical activity and promoting students’ overall health and well-being. However, many tertiary students struggle to sustain consistent exercise habits due to limited motivation, inadequate social support, and various personal and environmental barriers. Understanding how curricular goals in Physical Education and social support influence exercise behavior may help improve students’ long-term engagement in physical activity. This descriptive and correlational study examined the influence of curricular goals in Physical Education and social support in physical activity on the behavioural regulation in exercise among tertiary students. Three hundred seventy students from three local colleges in Davao del Norte were selected using stratified random sampling. Three survey questionnaires were used, and the data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, Pearson's r, and multiple regression. Results revealed that the levels of curriculum goals, social support for physical activity, and behaviour regulation during exercise were high. A significant but very weak positive relationship was found between curriculum goals and behavior regulation in exercise (r = 0.102, p = 0.049). There was also a significant, moderate, positive relationship between social support for physical activity and behavior regulation during exercise (r = 0.324, p < 0.001). However, regression analysis revealed that curriculum goals did not significantly influence behavior regulation during exercise (β = 0.037, p = 0.264), whereas social support in physical activity did (β = 0.306, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that although curriculum goals are highly manifested, they do not directly predict students’ regulation of exercise behavior. Social support, on the other hand, plays a more critical role in influencing behavior regulation in exercise. The results imply that strengthening supportive environments in physical activity programs may be more effective in enhancing students’ motivation and sustained engagement in exercise.