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@article{200537,
        author = {Girija Sravani Dharwada and Shruthika R Rajan and Prashanth Cherian Kochuveetil},
        title = {Fitness Wearables and Autonomous Exercise Motivation Among College Students : A Quantitative Study Using The BREQ 3},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {12},
        pages = {976-984},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=200537},
        abstract = {Physical inactivity among college students is a persistent public health challenge. Fitness wearables are widely marketed as tools to promote active behaviour, yet statistical evidence on their association with the quality of exercise motivation remains limited. This study examines whether the use of fitness wearables is associated with higher autonomous exercise motivation among college students, using the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3 (BREQ-3). A cross-sectional survey of 176 college students (Mean age = 20.63 years, SD =2.72; 51.7% female) yielded 43 wearable users and 133 non-users. BREQ-3 subscale scores were computed for intrinsic, identified, introjected, external regulation, and amotivation, and a 
Relative Autonomy Index (RAI) was derived. Cronbach’s alpha values exceeded 0.90 for all multi-item subscales. Shapiro-Wilk tests confirmed non-normal distributions, warranting Mann-Whitney U tests for group comparisons. Results indicated no statistically significant difference in overall RAI between wearable users (Mdn = 21.75) and non-users (Mdn = 18.00; U = 4336.0, p = .179). However, wearable users scored significantly higher on the introjected regulation subscale (U = 4972.5, p< .001), suggesting that wearables maybe linked to ego-involved rather than purely autonomous motivation. These findings contribute to the Self-Determination Theory literature and highlight the need for app-design strategies that foster internalised, autonomous motivation rather than guilt-driven engagement.},
        keywords = {fitness wearables, exercise motivation, Self-Determination Theory, BREQ-3, Relative Autonomy Index, college students},
        month = {May},
        }