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Background: Research has shown that self-determination theory can be useful in the study of motivation in sport and other forms of physical activity. The Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC) scale was originally designed to study both., Aim: The current research presents and validates the new PLOC-U scale to measure academic motivation in the university context. We tested levels of self-determination before and after academic examinations. Also, we analysed degree of internalization of extrinsic motivation in students' practical activities., Sample: Two hundred and eighty-seven Spanish university students participated in the study., Method: Data were collected at two time points to check the reliability and stability of PLOC-U by a test-retest procedure. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the PLOC-U. Also convergent validity was tested against the Academic Motivation Scale (EME-E)., Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed optimum fit and good reliability of PLOC-U. It also presented excellent convergent validity with the EME-E and good stability over time. Our findings did not show any significant correlation between self-determination and expected results before academic examinations, but it did so afterwards, revealing greater regulation by and integration of extrinsic motivation. The high score obtained for extrinsic motivation points to a greater regulation associated with an external contingency (rewards in the practical coursework)., Conclusions: PLOC-U is a good instrument for the measurement of academic motivation and provides a new tool to analyse self-determination among university students., (© 2017 The British Psychological Society.)

Differences were examined in Theory of Planned Behaviour determinants of students' intention to smoke including parents' attitudes towards smoking and parents' current cigarette use among Greek students of different school grade levels. Students (N = 763) aged 10-18 years reported their attitudes towards smoking, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, self-identity and intention to smoke while their parents (N = 525) reported their attitudes towards smoking and their current cigarette use. All the TPB variables increased from lower to higher school grade level. Multi-sample path analyses showed that parent's attitudes towards smoking positively predicted students' intention to smoke only for elementary school children. Parents' current cigarette use did not contribute significantly. Students' attitudes, perceived behavioural control and self-identity predicted systematically intention to smoke in contrast to the subjective norm that did not contribute at all. Perceived behavioural control contributed to a higher degree in intention to smoke for senior high school students compared to the junior high school and elementary students. Self-identity contributed to a higher degree in intention to smoke for elementary compared to the junior high school students. The results of this study suggests that the determinants of smoking vary between early and late adolescence.

The present study examined effects of sex, attitude towards physical activity, perceived barriers for participation in physical activity, and students' perception of their parents' participation in physical activity on the intrinsic motivation of students participating in a health related program in physical education. 643 students (303 boys and 340 girls) responded to questionnaires measuring intrinsic motivation, attitudes towards physical activity, perceived barriers to exercise and perceived parents' participation in physical activity. Mean age was 12.9 yr. (SD=1.2, range 11-14 years). Analysis indicated that students' intrinsic motivation towards the program was influenced by perceived barriers to exercise. Sex, attitudes towards physical activity, and perceived parents' participation in physical activity seem to be less important.

A three-wave study over one year with 882 adolescents, aged 10 to 16 years at the initial testing, examined psychosocial variables regarding four health-related behaviors: exercise, eating fruit, smoking, and drug use. Analysis showed that during the stages of the study, high school students' exercise behavior decreased and their smoking behavior increased as well as their willingness to use drugs. It seems that study of physical education and health education during adolescence must take into account the possible differences in psychosocial variables associated with health-related behaviors as well as the different stages of adolescence.

The present study aimed at examining the effectiveness of a team-sports-based life-skills program taught as part of physical education lessons. One hundred sixty-five sixth and eighth graders were assigned either in an experimental or in a control group and received an abbreviated version of SUPER, a team-sports-based program. The program focused on setting goals, on positive thinking, and on problem solving. Students were assessed on four sport-skills tests, knowledge about life skills, and beliefs about effective use of life skills. Results showed gains of the experimental group on two of the four sport-skills tests, knowledge and self-beliefs. (Contains 2 tables.)

In this pilot study, we assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of an educational program designed to prevent alcohol-related behaviors among high school students. The program was rooted in the Theory of Planned Behavior principles (TPB) and supplemented with life-skills teaching. A total of 352 participants were involved, representing 10 secondary schools in central Greece. Among these, 257 students (Mage: 14.51 ± 1.34 years) constituted the experimental group, while 95 were assigned to the control group. The experimental group received a 10-session program, one per week. The results revealed that the experimental group had a significant improvement on knowledge about alcohol, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and alcohol-related behavior between pre- and post-intervention measurements. Additionally, students expressed high levels of satisfaction with the program. These findings offer substantial evidence for the practicality and effectiveness of an alcohol prevention initiative that is rooted in theory and supported by life-skills education when implemented within a school environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined 10–11-year-old students' perceptions regarding three different types of physical activity games based on different principles of mental engagement (contextual interference, mental control, or discovery). A total of 156 students (84 girls) from five fourth-grade (75 students) and five fifth-grade (81 students) classes of five elementary schools located in a middle-sized city in central Greece participated in the study. These students participated in a larger project consisting of a series of acute experiments aiming to examine the effectiveness of cognitively challenging physical activity games in elementary physical education. Students responded to open-ended questions regarding their perceptions of the physical activity games. Their responses were analyzed through a thematic analysis. A total number of 706 quotes were identified and categorized into the lower-order themes which were organized into four higher-order themes: (a) characteristics of the games, (b) effects of the games, (c) areas for improvement, and (d) preferences for specific games. Students' views provided supporting evidence regarding the employment of cognitively challenging physical activity games in physical education. Useful insights regarding the characteristics of the games, their effects, and their areas for improvement were also gained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' perceptions of responsibility in the context of physical education. 17 6th-grade students (7 boys and 10 girls) from 9 Greek elementary schools were interviewed. Theory and data driven thematic analysis was conducted. The Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model provided a conceptual framework to guide data analysis. Most of the students' values, motives, attitudes, intentions, and experiences reflected the foundational responsibility goals included in the TPSR model; however, students' awareness of more advanced manifestations of responsibility in physical education was weaker. Findings shed light on Greek students' perceptions of responsibility in physical education (PE) classes and other settings. The TPSR model provided a relevant framework for describing and interpreting students' perceptions of responsibility. However, there was a marked discrepancy between students' perceived values of responsibility and their reported experiences. Implications for promoting responsibility in physical education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Smoking Efficacy Scale (SES) for adolescents in a sample of 536 high school students. The factorial structure of the SES was examined by means of a series of exploratory factor analyses. The structural validity, the internal consistency, the temporal stability, and the concurrent validity of the SES were assessed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a clear three-factor (emotion, opportunity, and friends) structure. Furthermore, SES predicted students’ smoking behavior. Overall, the multidimensionality of the SES was supported by our findings, suggesting that the Greek version of the SES appears to be a psychometrically sound instrument that can be used for the evaluation of smoking prevention and smoking cessation programs for high school students. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study was to examine students' performance calibration in physical education. One hundred fifth and sixth grade students provided estimations regarding their performance in a dribbling test after practicing dribbling for 16 minutes under different self-regulatory conditions (i.e., receiving feedback, setting goals, self-recording). Two calibration indices, calibration bias and calibration accuracy, were calculated. The results showed that students who practiced dribbling under different self-regulatory conditions (i.e., receiving feedback, setting goals) did not differ in calibration bias and accuracy. Regardless of the group, students were overconfident. Moreover, sixth grade students were more accurate compared to fifth grade students. These results were discussed with reference to the development of performance calibration and self-regulated learning in physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examined the effect of different goals (process, performance outcome, and multiple goals) and self-recording on self-regulation of learning a dart-throwing skill. Participants were 105 fifth and sixth graders who were randomly assigned to six (3 Goal type × 2 self-recording) experimental and one control group. Results showed a positive effect of self-recording on students’ performance, while no difference was found between the goal conditions. Moreover, goal group students made more technical attributions and adaptive inferences compared to the control group students. Results are discussed with reference to self-regulated learning, the pursuit of multiple goals and self-recording in physical education. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study applied an expectancy-value approach in examining participation motives of students in physical education. As predicted outcome expectancy, a variable formed by the combination of outcome value and outcome likelihood correlated significantly higher with motivational indices than these two factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]