The Moderating Effect of Exercise Flow on the Relationship Between Exercise Motivation and Physical Self-Efficacy Among Fitness Center Users

OBJECTIVES This study examined the effects of exercise motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) on physical selfefficacy among fitness center users and tested whether exercise flow moderates these relationships.METHODS A total of 298 fitness center users in Korea completed a structured questionnaire measuring intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, physical self-efficacy, and exercise flow. Construct validity and reliability were assessed using exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha. Hierarchical multiple regression and simple slope analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0.RESULTS Both intrinsic motivation (β = 0.150, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and extrinsic motivation (β = 0.456, <i>p</i> < 0.001) positively predicted physical self-efficacy. The interaction with exercise flow was significant for extrinsic motivation (β = 0.269, <i>p</i> < 0.001) but not for intrinsic motivation (β = 0.112, ns). Simple slope analysis showed that the association between extrinsic motivation and physical self-efficacy became stronger as exercise flow increased.CONCLUSIONS Exercise flow selectively amplifies the contribution of extrinsic motivation to physical selfefficacy, whereas intrinsic motivation operates largely independent of flow. Practitioners should pair external reinforcement with flow-facilitating environments to strengthen members’ physical self-efficacy.