Journal Article

Exploring the relationship between sports media use, sports participation behavior, and sport commitment: a mixed-methods study using structural equation modeling and qualitative insights

Aman, Mohd Salleh, Qian, Wanqin, Abidin, Nor Eeza Zainal, Wei, Lihong

2025

Overview

Background This study investigates the complex relationships between sports media use (SMU), sports participation behavior (SPB), and sports commitment. With the increasing consumption of sports media, it is essential to understand both the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of how media engagement correlates with participation and long-term commitment to sports. Objectives The study aims to investigate the relationship between SMU and SPB, as well as the mediating role of SPB in sports commitment, using a mixed-methods approach. Additionally, it explores individuals’ lived experiences to provide deeper insights into how media shapes engagement and commitment. Method A mixed-methods design was employed, integrating quantitative and qualitative data. A survey of 484 participants from diverse demographic backgrounds was conducted, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the relationships among variables. To complement these findings, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a subset of participants to explore their narratives surrounding media roles, sports behavior, and commitment. Thematic analysis was applied to interpret qualitative data. Results Quantitative findings revealed significant positive relationships between SMU and SPB and between SMU and sports commitment. SPB was found to partially mediate the relationship between SMU and sports commitment. The qualitative findings supported these results, highlighting key themes such as motivation, role modeling, and identity formation through media exposure. Participants described how sports media inspired them to engage in sports and reinforced their long-term commitment. Conclusions This study demonstrates that SMU plays a significant role in fostering sports participation and commitment, with SPB as a key mediator. The integration of qualitative insights strengthens these findings by illustrating the personal experiences and psychological mechanisms that drive engagement. These results underscore the potential of sports media for promoting sustained participation and commitment, offering practical implications for policymakers, educators, and sports organizations aiming to leverage media for greater sports engagement. Future research should explore cultural differences and the role of specific media content types to refine further our understanding of the media’s correlation with sports behavior.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Behavior / Behavioral Science and Psychology / China / Clinical Psychology / Cognitive Psychology / Commitment (Psychology) / COVID-19 / Data collection / Exercise / Female / Humans / Hypotheses / Latent Class Analysis / Male / Media roles / Mental health / Middle Aged / Mixed methods research / Motivation / Pandemics / Participation / Psychological aspects / Psychological research / Psychology / Psychology Research / Qualitative Research / Quantitative analysis / Social aspects / Social media / Social participation / Social support / Sports / Sports & recreation clubs / Sports - psychology / Sports commitment / Sports media use / Sports participation behavior / Structural equation modeling / Surveys and Questionnaires / Trends / Young Adult