Search

The purpose of this study was to analyse the associations between basic psychological needs, motivational regulations and enjoyment within Finnish physical education (PE) students. The participants of the study were 260 Grade 5 students (Mage=11.86, SD=0.28) and 242 Grade 8 students (Mage=14.93, SD=0.37) who completed a questionnaire prior to their regular PE classes. This cross-sectional study incorporated a multigroup structural equation modelling (SEM, path model) separately for Grade 5 and 8 students, using gender as a grouping value. Results indicated that among Grade 5 students autonomy was directly associated with enjoyment. In addition, there was an indirect path from autonomy to enjoyment via intrinsic regulation in the boys group, and an indirect path from relatedness to enjoyment via intrinsic regulation in the girls group. Among Grade 8 students, need for competence was directly associated with enjoyment for the boys. Results also revealed negative associations from autonomy to enjoyment via amotivation for the girls group, and via external regulation for the boys group. For both Grades 5 and 8 SEM revealed additional, gender specific associations. The results of this study highlight the importance of students' need satisfaction and autonomous motivation as factors that could facilitate enjoyable experiences in PE classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to examine the construct validity and internal consistency of the Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale (MCPES). A key element of the development process of the scale was establishing a theoretical framework that integrated the dimensions of task- and ego involving climates in conjunction with autonomy, and social relatedness supporting climates. These constructs were adopted from the self-determination and achievement goal theories. A sample of Finnish Grade 9 students, comprising 2,594 girls and 1,803 boys, completed the 18-item MCPES during one physical education class. The results of the study demonstrated that participants had highest mean in task-involving climate and the lowest in autonomy climate and ego-involving climate. Additionally, autonomy, social relatedness, and task-involving climates were significantly and strongly correlated with each other, whereas the ego-involving climate had low or negligible correlations with the other climate dimensions.The construct validity of the MCPES was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The statistical fit of the four-factor model consisting of motivational climate factors supporting perceived autonomy, social relatedness, task-involvement, and ego-involvement was satisfactory. The results of the reliability analysis showed acceptable internal consistencies for all four dimensions. The Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale can be considered as psychometrically valid tool to measure motivational climate in Finnish Grade 9 students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: An important component of mental training in sport is the utilization of positive imagery. The "human brain cannot distinguish between an imagined experience and a real experience. The same areas of the brain light up in an imagined experience or imagined performance as in a real experience or performance. For that reason, positive performance imagery has enormous potential" (Orlick, 2008, p. 101). Imagery "has been described as a centre pillar of applied sport psychology" research (Morris, Spittle, & Perry, 2004, p. 344). The aim of the present study was to examine reliability and validity characteristics of the Polish language version of the Sport Imagery Ability Measure (SIAM). PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: Polish athletes (N = 316) from a range of sports and competitive levels completed the 48 item SIAM. The participants (163 male, 153 female) were aged between 12 and 57 years (M = 22.15, SD = 8.25). RESULTS: Results indicated that the S I AM had sound internal consistency and maintained good stability over a 3-week period. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the a priori 3-factor structure of the SIAM resulted in a set of acceptable and poor fit indices (CFI = .91, NFI = .90, RMSEA = .12). Finally, differences in athletes' imagery abilities were examined in relation to competitive level, gender, and age. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results generally supported the reliability and construct validity of the Polish version of the SIAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specific aim of this study was to examine whether motivational climate, perceived physical competence, and exercise motivation predict enjoyment in school physical education within the same sample of adolescents across three years of secondary school. A sample of 639 students (girls = 296, boys = 343) aged between 13- to 15-years at the commencement of the study completed the Intrinsic Motivation Climate in Physical Education Questionnaire, Physical Self-Perception Profile, Physical Education Motivation Scale, and Physical Education Enjoyment Scale. Results derived from path analyses indicated that task-involving motivational climate predicted enjoyment in physical education via perceived physical competence and intrinsic motivation in both girls and boys. In particular, these results supported previous findings of Vallerand et. al (1997) with the self-determination theory and the achievement goal theory. Ego-involving climate was not a significant predictor either in girls or boys. The current results provide continuing support for the investigation of Vallerand's model in the physical education setting, and highlight that motivational climate is an area that requires further evaluation as a contributing factor in the improvement of physical education teaching. A better understanding of the role of motivational climate may assist efforts to promote children's and adolescents' perceived physical competence, intrinsic motivation, and enjoyment in the school physical education setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]