Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the motives for practicing sport among the Spanish school population aged between 8 and 18 years. In or der to obtain a global idea of the motivation of Spanish schoolchildren, we studied the loadings of the motives, the underlying motivational structure, and the relationship between intensive and selective aspects of the behavior. The sample of participants was made up of 4606 pupils (2294 males and 2312 f emales) from 37 Spanish schools. Factor analyses of the questionnaire used showed a total of 9 primary factors of motivation. Motivational differences were found according to sex, age, type of population and intensity of motivation for sport. We identified subsets of variables related to the level of active involvement of young people in sport. Finally, the results are discussed and some future perspectives outlined.
