Aesthetic Enhancements to Sports Facilities and Adolescent Physical Activity: A Mediation Analysis of Motivational Mechanisms

Introduction: Environmental characteristics of sports facilities, including aesthetic quality, are increasingly recognized as determinants of adolescent physical activity (PA). However, the psychological mechanisms linking facility aesthetics to activity participation remain underexplored.Objective: This study examined the effect of aesthetic enhancements to sports facilities on adolescents’ PA participation, testing autonomous motivation as a mediating factor.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 412 adolescents aged 13–18 years from public and private secondary schools. Participants completed validated instruments assessing perceived facility aesthetics (PEAS), autonomous motivation (BREQ-3), and PA participation (PAQ-A). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with bootstrapping was employed to assess direct and indirect relationships.Results: Aesthetic enhancements were positively associated with autonomous motivation (β = .48, p < .001) and PA participation (β = .12, p = .027). Autonomous motivation significantly predicted PA (β = .46, p < .001). Mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of aesthetic enhancements on PA through autonomous motivation (β = .22, 95% CI: .14–.31), indicating partial mediation. The total effect of aesthetic enhancements on PA was β = .34 (p < .001).Conclusion: Adolescents’ perceptions of aesthetically enhanced sports facilities positively influence their motivation and participation in PA. Improving the visual appeal of sports facilities may increase adolescents’ motivation to be active, suggesting investments in facility aesthetics can promote PA.