Analysis of Changes in Self-Determination among Older Adults according to Participation Time in a Park Golf Program: An Application of the Latent Growth Model

This study examined changes in older adults’ self-determination—comprising autonomy, competence, and relatedness—according to the duration of participation in a park golf program, using a latent growth model. In addition, gender differences in the trajectories of self-determination were analyzed. The main findings are as follows. First, all three components of self-determination showed significant initial levels at the start of the program. Over the 12-week period, autonomy and relatedness increased, whereas competence showed a decreasing trend. While autonomy exhibited substantial individual variability in both the initial status and rate of change, competence and relatedness demonstrated relatively similar patterns of change across participants. Second, no significant gender differences were found in either the initial levels or the rates of change for autonomy, competence, or relatedness, indicating that the trajectories of self-determination were comparable between older men and women. Taken together, these results suggest that park golf functions as an effective exercise intervention that reliably enhances autonomy and relatedness among older adults, regardless of gender. Park golf can therefore be considered a valuable activity for promoting psychological well-being in later life. Moreover, as a low-intensity and widely accessible sport, park golf offers equal participation opportunities for both older men and women, supporting its recommendation by community and welfare organizations to enhance motivation and social connectedness among older adults.