[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-428158-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-428158-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","older-adults-motivation-and-volition-in-sustaining-exercise-after-a-structured-program","OLDER ADULTS’ MOTIVATION AND VOLITION IN SUSTAINING EXERCISE AFTER A STRUCTURED PROGRAM","","Study examines how older adults maintain exercise after completing an eight-week structured program, focusing on the roles of motivation and volition. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and Volitional Competences, a critical realist study used 29 semi-structured interviews, Atlas.ti coding, and abductive/retroductive analysis. Results show motivational drivers such as perceived physical improvements, accountability, social connection, and enjoyment, while volitional supports include daily-life embedding, self-regulation, routine adaptation to avoid injury, and identity-based persistence. Barriers include health, emotional/cognitive challenges, hesitancy post-program, and financial or logistical constraints; autonomy-supportive practices and barrier-aware design are discussed.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/older-adults-motivation-and-volition-in-sustaining-exercise-after-a-structured-program/428158/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/older-adults-motivation-and-volition-in-sustaining-exercise-after-a-structured-program/428158.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Cipher","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-14","2026-09-29",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":33},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"What is the main research focus of this study?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"The study explores how older adults continue exercising after an eight-week structured program, emphasizing the roles of motivation and volition.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"What theories guide the analysis of exercise continuation?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"Self-Determination Theory and Volitional Competences are used to interpret how motivation and volition support persistence.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What key barriers and facilitators were identified for sustaining exercise?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"Facilitators include embedding exercise in daily life, self-regulation, adapting routines to prevent injury, and maintaining a lifelong exerciser identity. Barriers include health limitations, emotional and cognitive challenges, hesitancy after programs end, and financial or logistical constraints.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},428158,1790811728,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":33,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":96},687208528416,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","1190 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2  \nAbstract citation ID: igaf122.3985  \nOLDER ADULTS’ MOTIVATION AND VOLITION IN SUSTAINING EXERCISE AFTER A  \nSTRUCTURED PROGRAM  \nBora Jin1, and Elizabeth Roumell2, 1. Winston Salem State University, Kernersville, North Carolina, United States, 2. Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University, Texas, United States  \nSustaining exercise habits is important for supporting health and independence in later life (World Health Organization, 2024). While exercise adherence has been widely studied, less is known about how older adults continue activity once structured programs conclude. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017) and Volitional Competences (Kuhl, 2000; Elsborg et al., 2019), we explored how motivation and volition influence exercise continuation among older adults who completed an eight-week structured exercise program. Using a critical realist approach (Fletcher, 2017), we conducted 29 semi-structured interviews, analyzed through abductive and retroductive reasoning, and coded with Atlas.ti. We identified motivational factors that explained why participants continued exercising (e.g., perceived physical improvements, accountability, intergenerational influence, and social connection and enjoyment). We also found volitional factors that described how participants sustained routines despite challenges, including embedding exercise into daily life, using self-regulation strategies, adapting routines to prevent  \nInnovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 1191  \ninjury, and drawing on a lifelong exerciser identity. Participants also described barriers such as health limitations, emotional and cognitive challenges, hesitancy to act once programs ended, and financial or logistical constraints. Our findings suggest that older adults build on motivation to engage and volition to persist once a structured program ends, balancing supportive daily practices with barriers such as health concerns, emotional challenges, and financial constraints. We consider how autonomy-supportive practices, accountability structures, and program designs that acknowledge these barriers may help sustain participation. We conclude by outlining implications for fitness instructors, health educators, and practitioners seeking to promote meaningful exercise engagement in older adults.","cbCaifekcB97q6zd","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifekcB97q6zd","pdf",2052422,"English","# Abstract\n## Study framework and theories\n## Methods and analysis\n## Motivational factors\n## Volitional factors and barriers\n## Implications and conclusions","[{\"question\":\"What is the main research focus of this study?\",\"answer\":\"The study explores how older adults continue exercising after an eight-week structured program, emphasizing the roles of motivation and volition.\"},{\"question\":\"What theories guide the analysis of exercise continuation?\",\"answer\":\"Self-Determination Theory and Volitional Competences are used to interpret how motivation and volition support persistence.\"},{\"question\":\"What key barriers and facilitators were identified for sustaining exercise?\",\"answer\":\"Facilitators include embedding exercise in daily life, self-regulation, adapting routines to prevent injury, and maintaining a lifelong exerciser identity. Barriers include health limitations, emotional and cognitive challenges, hesitancy after programs end, and financial or logistical constraints.\"}]","OLDER ADULTS’ MOTIVATION AND VOLITION IN SUSTAINING EXERCISE AFTER A STRUCTURED PROGRAM | PDF",1790645967]