Healthy living motivation: A multidimensional examination of motivating factors and scale development study

The aim of this study is to identify the factors influencing individuals' motivation for healthy living and to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool to assess their motivation for healthy living based on these factors. In this context, the study was designed as a mixed-methods research using an exploratory sequential design, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative phases. In the first phase of the research, a phenomenological design was adopted to understand individuals' motivations for healthy living. Within this scope, interviews were conducted with 18 individuals who have adopted healthy lifestyle behaviors. Thematic analyses revealed three overarching themes: "Factors Motivating Healthy Living," "Driving Forces Behind Healthy Living," and "Reflections of Healthy Living." Within the theme of Factors Motivating Healthy Living, it was determined that individuals are influenced by concerns about the future, maintaining their physical health, enhancing psychological well-being, receiving support from their social environment, and social desirability. The Driving Forces Behind Healthy Living theme highlighted that past illnesses, negative past experiences, family, friends, and exposure to unhealthy individuals were among the key motivational factors directly influencing individuals' decisions to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The Reflections of Healthy Living theme revealed the positive effects of healthy lifestyle behaviors on individuals. It was observed that individuals who maintain healthy lifestyle habits experience improved physical health, are more active in their social relationships, and feel psychologically better. Additionally, it was found that a healthy lifestyle enhances individuals' self confidence, increases their self-esteem, and positively impacts their overall quality of life. These themes provided the foundation for the scale development process by identifying the factors influencing individuals' adoption of a healthy lifestyle and the outcomes of this process. Accordingly, in the second phase of the study, the Healthy Living Motivation Scale (HLMS) was developed based on the findings obtained from the qualitative phase. To develop the HLMS, data were collected from a total of 976 individuals across five different study groups within three separate samples. The first group included 50 individuals for the pilot study; the second group consisted of 474 individuals for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and reliability analysis; the third group involved 271 academics for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), item analysis, and Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis; the fourth group included 172 university students for criterion-related validity; and the fifth group comprised 50 participants for test-retest reliability. As a result of all the analyses conducted, the HLMS was developed with four sub-dimensions and 18 items. The findings were discussed and interpreted in light of the existing literature. The study emphasized the importance of understanding motivational sources for sustaining healthy lifestyle behaviors, providing recommendations for policymakers, social education programs, and individual interventions. This research is expected to guide future studies aimed at understanding and supporting individuals' healthy lifestyle behaviors.