Effects of an Experimental Program to Improve the Motivation in Physical Education of Spanish Students

Abstract

The aim was to analyze the impact of an intervention program of physical education (PE) for improvement the motivation among secondary students in Spain. Using the Achievement Goals Theory as a guide framework, two groups were used for the survey: the experimental group (n=86), which received 16 lessons of PE based in a mastery climate, and the control group (n=83), which received a traditional PE lessons. A program was design following the recommendations of Ames (1992) with the aim of improvement the task orientation and the perception of a mastery climate in PE. Using the 2x2 Achievement Goals in PE Questionnaire and the Learning and Performance Orientations in PE Classes Questionnaire, pre- and post-intervention measures of achievement goals and perception of the climate were measured in both groups. In the experimental group, the statistics analysis showed a significant decrease of the perception of performance climate. The results suggest that the mastery climate in PE can help to promote adaptative motivational profiles of the students.