Abstract
Although researchers have demonstrated the importance of interpersonal processes in school-based physical education (PE), there have been calls for further studies that account for multiple relational perspectives and provide a more holistic understanding of students’ relational perceptions. Guided by principles outlined within self-determination theory and the tripartite efficacy model, our aim was to explore the ways in which students’ perceptions about their teacher and classmates directly and/or indirectly predicted motivation, anxiety, and engagement in PE. A total of 374 female high-school students reported the extent to which their teachers and classmates independently (a) engaged in relatedness-supportive behaviors, (b) satisfied their need for relatedness, and (c) were confident in their ability in PE (i.e., relation-inferred self-efficacy). Students also rated their motivation and anxiety regarding PE, and teachers provided ratings of in-class behavioral engagement for each student. Analyses demonstrated support for the predictive properties of both teacher- and peer-focused perceptions. Students largely reported more positive motivational orientations when they held favorable perceptions regarding their teacher and peers, and autonomous motivation was in turn positively related to behavioral engagement ratings. These findings offer novel insight into the network of interpersonal appraisals that directly and indirectly underpins important in-class outcomes in PE.
Highlights
Despite the health-enhancing effects of regular physical activity, adolescent participation rates typically fall below recommended guidelines (World Health Organization, 2013)
We incorporated 19 feasible modifications to the measurement portion of the model, by specifying error covariances between selected indicators within some latent variables
We observed an improvement in fit indices, and with the exception of the significant chi-square value, fit indices collectively indicated a relatively well-fitting model, χ2(1146) = 1694.73, p < 0.001, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.96, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.95, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.038 (90% confidence interval 0.034–0.041)
Summary
Despite the health-enhancing effects of regular physical activity, adolescent participation rates typically fall below recommended guidelines (World Health Organization, 2013). In order to identify theory-driven strategies that promote youth physical activity participation, one sustained area of research has targeted youngsters’ experiences in school-based physical education (PE; e.g., Stratton et al, 2008). Relational perceptions in PE (e.g., Ardoy et al, 2014), enhanced physical fitness (e.g., Sallis et al, 1997), and improved self-esteem (e.g., Tremblay et al, 2000). For these reasons, researchers have devoted continued attention toward identifying the factors that contribute to, and are influenced by, individuals’ motivation and engagement in school-based PE. Students’ relations with, and perceptions about, their teachers (e.g., Bourne et al, 2015) and classmates (e.g., Cox et al, 2009; Cox and Ullrich-French, 2010) represent one group of antecedents that are important in shaping individuals’ PE experiences (e.g., engagement, motivation; see Ntoumanis, 2012), and it is this relational perspective upon which we focus our attention in this investigation
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