The basic psychological needs of fitness self-testing for Chinese male college students: a qualitative perspective

Introduction: Guided by Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examined Chinese male college freshmen's perceptions of their fundamental psychological needs in relation to fitness self-testing. Specifically, the study focused on how the educational experience of independently monitoring and enhancing health-related fitness (HRF) supported-or challenged-the satisfaction of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Methods: Ten participants (age: 18-19 years old) were purposively sampled from those whose fitness testing scores ranked in the top or bottom 5% of the class at the end of a semester. Each participant completed monthly self-testing sessions over 4 months. Guided by the SDT, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyze the data to generate themes. Observation notes and student reflections were utilized for data triangulation. Peer debriefing, member checking, and negative case analysis were conducted to establish the trustworthiness of the data. Results: Four main themes emerged from the data: (a) Autonomy as empowerment and responsibility, (b) Competence satisfaction mixed with frustration, (c) Self-testing as a socially embedded practice, and (d) Self-testing as a catalyst for self-challenge, and self-regulated lifestyle development. Conclusion: The three basic psychological needs in fitness self-testing, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, were central in this context. These findings can inform future fitness self-testing protocols that support student learning, HRF, and social belonging.