Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale

The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), developed by Kendzierski and DeCarlo (1991), is a 16-item measure of the positive affective responses and enjoyment experienced during or after physical activity. Based on the premise that enjoyment is a powerful predictor of exercise adherence and intrinsic motivation, PACES assesses feelings such as pleasure, fun, satisfaction, and interest during physical activity. The instrument uses semantic differential responses (e.g., 'boring–interesting', 'dull–fun', 'unpleasant–pleasant') to capture the hedonic experience of exercise. PACES is widely used in exercise science, health promotion, and physical education research to identify activities that are most enjoyable for specific populations and to evaluate whether interventions enhance exercise enjoyment.