Need satisfied teachers adopt a motivating style: The mediation of teacher enthusiasm

Abstract

Teachers' basic psychological need satisfaction or frustration are associated with their tendency to adopt a motivating or demotivating teaching style. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. This study examined the role played by teachers' experienced and displayed enthusiasm. Three hundred forty-one high school teachers filled in self-report questionnaires to assess basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, experienced and displayed enthusiasm, and adoption of (de)motivating teaching styles. The results showed that experienced but not displayed enthusiasm mediated the relationship between teachers' need satisfaction and their tendency to adopt autonomy-supportive and structuring styles, and between teachers' need frustration and their tendency to adopt a chaotic style. The discussion focuses on the theoretical and practical implications.