Affective and Religious-Motivational Pathways to Academic Motivation and Perceived Physical Performance in Omani Female Physical Education Students During Ramadan Fasting

Authors

  • zeineb Zerai 1 Faculty of Education and Arts, Sohar University, Oman; 2 Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education, ISSEP Ksar-Saïd, Manouba University, Tunisia; 3 Information Science Research Laboratory (SILAB), Higher Institute of Documentation, Manouba University, Tunisia
  • Aymen Yacoubi 4 Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education, ISSEP Kef, Jandouba University, Tunisia; Research Laboratory Heart Failure, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
  • Zahra Saleh 1 Faculty of Education and Arts, Sohar University, Oman;5 Physical Education and Sports Science, Duhok University of Iraq
  • Samah Kamal 1 Faculty of Education and Arts, Sohar University, Oman;6 Faculty of Sports Science for Girls, Helwan University, Egypt
  • Karim Chamari 7 Naufar Wellness and Recovery Center, Doha, Qatar ;2 Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education, ISSEP Ksar-Saïd, Manouba University, Tunisia;
  • Chedlia Fitouri Sohar University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51371/issn.1840-2976.777

Keywords:

emotional strain, self-endorsed religiosity, learning engagement, culturally situated, sport pedagogy, fasting-related fatigue

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to examine direct and indirect associations of mood states and religious motivation with academic
motivation and perceived physical performance among Omani female physical education (PE) students during Ramadan
fasting (RF). It tested fasting-related adaptation as an affective and religious-motivational process in a Muslim Gulf context.
Methods: In total, 374 PE students aged 18–24 years participated during weeks 2-3 of RF. They completed an online
questionnaire assessing negative mood states (NMood), positive mood (PMood), intrinsic religious motivation (IRM),
extrinsic religious motivation (ERM), perceived physical performance (PPP) and academic motivation (AM). The hypothesized
structural model tested 12 direct and 8 indirect paths. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM).
Results: Both the measurement model and the structural model showed generally acceptable fit (χ²/df = 2.90, CFI = .903, TLI
= .895, RMSEA = .071, SRMR = .063). Eight of 20 hypotheses were significant. Among the direct relationships, PMood showed
the strongest link with PPP (β = .39, P < .001), followed by NMood (β = −.29, P = .004) and IRM (β = .19, P = .034). For AM,
NMood (β = −.23, P = .014) and IRM (β = .33, P = .001) showed significant but opposite relationships, whereas PMood and
ERM were unrelated to AM. NMood also showed a strong negative association with IRM (β = −.41, P < .001). For mediation,
significant indirect associations through IRM were observed for NMood–AM (b = −.176, 95% BC CI [−.392, −.052], P = .001, β
= −.135) and NMood–PPP (b = −.048, 95% BC CI [−.121, −.005], P = .027, β = −.076). No other indirect effects were significant.
Conclusions: Female PE students’ adaptation during RF was associated with mood states and internal religious motivation.
RF should therefore be understood not only as a scheduling, but also as an affective and c

AHEAD OF PRINT - ONLINE FIRST EDITION

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Published

19-10-2026

How to Cite

Zerai, zeineb, Yacoubi, A., Saleh, Z., Kamal, S., Chamari, K., & Fitouri, C. (2026). Affective and Religious-Motivational Pathways to Academic Motivation and Perceived Physical Performance in Omani Female Physical Education Students During Ramadan Fasting. Acta Kinesiologica, (00). https://doi.org/10.51371/issn.1840-2976.777

Issue

Ahead of Print – Online First Edition

Section

Original Scientific Article