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Article Analysis: Sciences Assignment
Research Purpose and Overview
The article "College Students' Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life: An
Achievement Goal Perspective" by Zhang and his colleagues studied the connection between
physical activity and student achievement goals. The article investigated whether different
achievement goals influenced physical activity and health-related quality of life or, in short,
HRQOL.
The article contains two research questions: "What are the correlations among the 2 £ 2
achievement goal orientations, physical activity, and HRQOL among college students? What are
the unique contributions of the achievement goal orientations to college students' physical
activity and HRQOL?". ( Zhang et al. 2016)
The achievement goal theory is presented and provides a framework for understanding
the motivation behind the physical activity. Nicholls (1989) and Elliot (1997) proposed a 2 £ 2
achievement goal model, which differentiates competence between task and ego goals, resulting
in cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses in achievement settings—a way to
conceptualize college students' lifestyle in terms of their physical activity. ( Zhang et al. 2016)
Methods and Research
This study uses a quantitative research method. This is evidenced by the fact that the
study includes a survey, a standard quantitative research tool. The study also involves the
collection of numerical data and the use of statistical methods for data analysis, which are both
indicative of a quantitative research method.
The research design employed by Hark (2019) was a cross-sectional survey. The survey
was administered to college students via a questionnaire relating to physical activity. The article
mentions that "…consistently shown a positive association between physical activity and
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Article Analysis: Sciences Assignment
HRQOL among the general adult population". (e.g., Bize, Johnson, & Plotnikoff, 2007). This
design was used to collect data from college students regarding their physical activity levels.
The data collection methods employed in the study included self-report surveys such as
pedometers and accelerometers used to measure physical activity objectively, physical activity,
and health-related quality of life.
Findings, Discussion, and Future Research
The researchers used an analysis of covariance to analyze the data. The covariance study
was used to see the difference between physical activity and HRQOL. Finally, a hierarchical
multiple regression analysis was used to predict HRQOL from achievement goal profiles and
physical activity.
The main research findings of the study were that achievement goal orientation and
physical activity was related to HRQOL in college students. The results showed that a mastery-
approach goal orientation was positively associated with physical activity, while the goal
orientation related negatively to physical activity. In conclusion, physical activity was positively
associated with HRQOL. The results suggest that interventions to increase college students'
physical activity should focus on promoting a mastery approach to achievement goal orientation.
In the article, the limitations of the study were identified. The primary restriction
specified was that the study was limited to a sample of college students, so the results may not
apply to other populations. The study did not measure physical activity levels directly, so the
results may not accurately reflect actual physical activity levels. Finally, the study did not
measure any potential confounding variables, such as socioeconomic status, which may have
impacted the results.
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Article Analysis: Sciences Assignment
In the end, the authors do make suggestions for future research. They suggest that future
research should focus on examining the role of physical activity in college students' health-
related quality of life and the effects of achievement goals. Additionally, they suggest that future
research should explore the moderating effects of gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on
the relationship between achievement goals, physical activity, and health-related quality of life.
Original Summary
The article "College Students' Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life: An
Achievement Goal Perspective" by Zhang and his colleagues examines the relationship between
physical activity, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and achievement goals among college
students. The study used a sample of 325 college students from a large public university in the
southeastern United States: 130 men and 195 women around 21 years old. ( Zhang et al. 2016)
The students used for the research completed questionnaires assessing their physical activity
levels, health-related quality of life, and achievement goals. Results showed that higher levels of
physical activity were associated with higher levels of health-related quality of life and higher
levels of mastery-approach and performance-approach goals. In addition, mastery-approach
goals were positively associated with health-related quality of life, while performance-approach
goals were negatively associated. These results suggest that physical activity and achievement
goals may be necessary for college students' health-related quality of life.
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Article Analysis: Sciences Assignment
Reference
Zhang, T., Xiang, P., Gu, X., & Rose, M. (2016). College Students' Physical Activity and Health-
Related Quality of Life: An Achievement Goal Perspective. Research Quarterly for
Exercise and Sport, 87(2), 182-190. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2016.1159279
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