Influence of blood donation autonomy perception on intrinsic motivation: a moderated mediation model

[Objective] To analyze the mediating pathways of autonomy perception on the intrinsic motivation for blood donation and the moderating mechanism of satisfaction, and to explore the factors that enhance the intrinsic motivation of blood donation in order to promote sustained donor engagement and effectiveness. [Methods] This study, grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), recruited 1 293 employees from private enterprises in Zhejiang Province with prior blood donation experience as the research subjects. Data on demographic characteristics, intrinsic motivation for blood donation, and influencing factors were collected through a voluntary blood donation questionnaire. Spearman correlation analysis and the PROCESS macro were employed to examine the relationships among variables and their underlying mechanisms. [Results] In the multiple linear regression analysis with autonomy perception, life balance perception, and satisfaction as independent variables, 60% of the variance in intrinsic motivation for blood donation was explained by these predictors (adjusted R2=0.60). In the moderated mediation model test, life balance perception mediated the effect of autonomy perception on intrinsic motivation for blood donation. Furthermore, blood donation satisfaction positively moderated the direct path (β=0.06, P<0.01) while negatively moderating the second half of the mediation path (β=-0.04, P<0.01), revealing a dual moderating effect of satisfaction. [Conclusion] Autonomy perception and blood donation satisfaction jointly drive intrinsic motivation for blood donation. Strategies for optimizing blood donation satisfaction, which take into account both the direct path effect and the indirect mediation effect, can offer valuable insights for addressing the discrepancy between high first-time donation rates and low donor retention rates.