Structure of motivation of Chinese university students toward Dragon boat-based health-recreational physical activity

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to identify the structural and typological characteristics of motivation among Chinese university students toward Dragon Boat paddling as a form of health-oriented recreational physical activity. Materials and Methods. The study involved 267 university students (aged 18–20) from higher education institutions in China. Motivation was assessed using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2). The statistical procedure included tests of distribution normality (skewness and kurtosis), parametric analysis (ANOVA), hierarchical clustering, and calculation of the Relative Autonomy Index (RAI). Results. The obtained data demonstrate statistical validity and distributions approximating normality. Autonomous forms of regulation (intrinsic and identified) were found to predominate in the motivational structure, while amotivation showed minimal values, indicating a high level of awareness and emotional attractiveness of Dragon Boat training. Cluster analysis revealed three motivational profiles: the “resource type” (94.3% of participants with a positive RAI; high autonomy), the “executive type” (stable but moderate engagement), and the “passive type” (risk group with the highest amotivation scores). Internal determinants (enjoyment, perceived meaning of activity) were identified as key predictors of engagement, whereas external and introjected regulation remained invariant across the sample (n=267), confirming the secondary role of external pressure in sustaining interest in recreational physical activity. Conclusions. Dragon Boat paddling serves as an effective tool for strengthening autonomous motivation due to the combination of team interaction and emotional satisfaction. The study substantiates the need for differentiated strategies in health-recreational programming: meaning-oriented motivational support for the passive type, enhancement of team identity for the executive type, and autonomy-supportive training for the resource type.