Measures Of Need Satisfaction Research Articles

Assessing Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness Briefly

Abstract: The satisfaction of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness have been established as central components of human well-being, predictive of various positive behavioral and psychological outcomes. However, in many contexts, they need to be assessed very briefly, sometimes with just one item. Recent research has shown that well-designed single-item scales of relatively unidimensional constructs can perform surprisingly well. Accordingly, this project aimed to create and validate single-item scales for the three needs. In Study 1 ( n = 353, UK), we generated new items based on careful examination of the construct definitions and tested them alongside established multi-item need satisfaction scales. In Study 2 ( n = 335, US), we replicated these results using a shorter time span (need satisfaction yesterday). Study 3 ( n = 327, UK) compared the performance to a few other brief need satisfaction scales. In all studies, the new single items loaded excellently on respective longer scales and correlated with criterion variables at near identical levels as the longer scales. Given that the performance of the single-item scales was comparable to the established multi-item scales, they are recommended as valid and useful measures of need satisfaction for research context requiring very brief measures.

Psychometric Assessment of the Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale with Professional Romanian Athletes.

Background: Although athletes’ experiences of autonomy, competence, and relatedness play in key role in their motivation, performance-related outcomes, and wellness, there is no evidence to date on measures of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the Romanian sport context. Building upon self-determination theory, the objective of this research was to adapt the Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale and analyze its psychometric properties in the Romanian sport context. Methods: The participants were 642 professional athletes (354 males and 288 females; Mage = 22.81, SD = 5.78) who competed at the international and/or national level. Results: The results from confirmatory factor analyses psychometrically supported a six-factor correlated model, which was invariant across gender, age, and sport. Convergent validity was met by average variance extracted values between 0.60 and 0.74. Discriminant validity was underpinned by values from −0.72 to 0.72 for a heterotrait–monotrait ratio of correlations among the six factors. Reliability was endorsed by Cronbach’s alpha scores between 0.75 and 0.89, and between 0.76 and 0.89 for Raykov’s composite reliability coefficient. Criterion validity was supported by positive relationships of autonomy, competence, and relatedness satisfaction to autonomous motivation, and positive associations of autonomy, competence, and relatedness frustration with controlled motivation and amotivation. Conclusions: The Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale is shown to be a valid and reliable measure of need satisfaction and frustration in professional Romanian athletes.

Using self-determination theory to understand eating behaviors and weight change in emerging adults

IntroductionCollege may be a time when emerging adults establish eating patterns that influence future weight trajectories. Self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) supports autonomous regulation of behavior, which is associated with healthier behaviors. When needs are frustrated, individuals feel as though their behaviors are controlled by others, which is associated with unhealthy behaviors. This study used SDT to examine a model for associated body satisfaction, eating/weight control behaviors, and weight change. MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, undergraduates (N = 875; 57% women; AgeM = 20 ± 1.4 yrs.; BMIM = 24.3 ± 4.4) completed measures of need satisfaction and frustration, behavioral regulation of healthy weight, body satisfaction, eating/weight control behaviors, and weight change in their first semester of college. ResultsStructural equation modeling showed that need satisfaction was positively associated with greater autonomous regulation, which was positively associated with greater body satisfaction and fruit/vegetable intake. Conversely, greater need frustration was associated with greater controlled regulation, which was associated with lower body satisfaction. Participants who had greater body satisfaction engaged in fewer unhealthy weight control behaviors. Engaging in more unhealthy behaviors was associated with greater weight gain during the first semester of college, whereas fruit and vegetable intake was not associated with weight change. The associations were stronger for women than men, particularly for the relationships between body satisfaction and unhealthy weight control behaviors and increased weight gain. ConclusionsThe model was generally supported, suggesting that psychological need satisfaction and autonomous motivation in college students may facilitate greater body satisfaction and healthier eating behaviors. Future longitudinal research is needed to clarify the factors that influence health behaviors and weight gain in college students.

Measuring Personal Growth and Development in Context: Evidence of Validity in Educational and Work Settings

Consistent with the trend toward viewing psychological well-being as more than the absence of illness, we developed an instrument—the personal growth and development scale (PGDS)—that can be used to assess positive change in well-being attributable to context-specific experiences. As part of the validation process, we examined relations between the PGDS and measures of need satisfaction and autonomous motivation in students (N = 241) and employees (N = 468). In the student sample, we also examined relations with engagement and burnout. The findings supported our hypothesis that need satisfaction, autonomous motivation and engagement would relate positively with the PGDS, and that burnout would relate negatively. In a second student sample (N = 377), we collected longitudinal data to investigate how global psychological well-being relates to personal growth and development over the course of an academic term. We found that initial levels of global well-being predicted positive changes in growth and development and replicated earlier findings regarding relations between the PGDS, need satisfaction and autonomous motivation. Future applications of the PGDS for research and practice are discussed.

Analyzing the Commitment of College Students Using a Brief, Contextualized Measure of Need Satisfaction From the Perspective of Self-Determination Theory.

This study empirically confirmed the relationships between the degree to which students satisfied three basic needs (competence, relatedness, and autonomy) and the strength of their commitments to the university they attended and to obtaining a baccalaureate degree. A questionnaire was administered online to 1257 students at two 4-year universities. Regression analysis yielded statistically significant associations between the three needs and Institutional Commitment and Degree Commitment, explaining more than 20% of the variance in the latter two variables.

A needs-supportive intervention to help PE teachers enhance students' prosocial behavior and diminish antisocial behavior

ObjectivesGrounded in self-determination theory's dual-process model, we implemented an autonomy-supportive intervention program (ASIP) to help physical education (PE) teachers become more autonomy-supportive and less controlling toward their students. We tested whether such changes in teachers' classroom motivating styles could promote students' prosocial behaviors and diminish their antisocial behaviors. DesignWe used an experimental research design to manipulate teachers' motivating style and a three-wave longitudinal design to assess the student-reported dependent measures. MethodWe randomly assigned secondary-grade PE teachers (8 women, 25 men) to participate or not in the ASIP. At mid-semester, classroom observers rated teachers' autonomy-supportive and controlling instructional behaviors. At the end of the semester, teachers rated their students' prosocial and antisocial behaviors. At the beginning, middle, and end of the semester, the 1824 students of these teachers completed measures of need satisfaction, need frustration, prosocial behavior, and antisocial behavior. ResultsASIP participation increased teachers' autonomy support and students' need satisfaction and prosocial behavior, and it decreased teachers' control and students' need frustration, antisocial behavior, and attitude toward cheating. Multilevel structural equation modeling showed that longitudinal increases in prosocial behavior were mostly a function of need satisfaction gains while longitudinally decreases in antisocial behavior and acceptance of cheating were mostly a function of need frustration declines. ConclusionASIP-enabled benefits extend beyond previously-documented student personal functioning gains (e.g., engagement) to include student social functioning gains as well.

Characterizing Mood Management as Need Satisfaction: The Effects of Intrinsic Needs on Selective Exposure and Mood Repair

This study attempted to (a) extend traditional mood management theory research by investigating the influence of the intrinsic needs for competence and autonomy on selective exposure to video games and (b) test the influence of satisfying these needs on resultant mood repair. An experiment varied satisfaction of competence and autonomy needs using false feedback. Subjects then selected media that varied in level of user demand. Measures of need satisfaction were taken before and after media selection. Results demonstrated that (a) thwarted intrinsic needs significantly predict the choice of video games with different levels of user demand and (b) the satisfaction of these needs predicts enjoyment. Findings indicate that mood management can result from mood repair through need satisfaction.

The balanced measure of psychological needs (BMPN) scale: An alternative domain general measure of need satisfaction

Psychological need constructs have received increased attention within self-determination theory research. Unfortunately, the most widely used need-satisfaction measure, the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS; Gagne in Motiv Emot 27:199–223, 2003), has been found to be problematic (Johnston and Finney in Contemp Educ Psychol 35:280–296, 2010). In the current study, we formally describe an alternate measure, the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs (BMPN). We explore the factor structure of student responses to both the BPNS and the BMPN, followed by an empirical comparison of the BPNS to the BMPN as predictors of relevant outcomes. For both scales, we tested a model specifying three latent need factors (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and two latent method factors (satisfaction and dissatisfaction). By specifying and comparing a series of nested confirmatory factor analytic models, we examine the theoretical structure of the need satisfaction variables and produce evidence for convergent and discriminant validity of the posited constructs. The results of our examination suggest that the three need variables should not be combined into one general need factor and may have separate satisfaction and dissatisfaction dimensions. Our model comparisons also suggest the BMPN may be an improved instrument for SDT researchers.

Employee commitment in context: The nature and implication of commitment profiles

It is well established that employee commitment can take different forms (e.g., affective, normative, and continuance), yet it is only recently that theory has been advanced to explain how these different forms combine to influence behavior (Meyer & Herscovitch, 2001). We tested this theory with data from employees in three human services organizations (N = 403). Using latent profile analyses, we identified six distinct profile groups and found that they differed on measures of need satisfaction, regulation, affect, engagement, organizational citizenship behavior, and well-being. The observed differences are consistent with the notion that a commitment profile provides a context that determines how the individual components are experienced (Gellatly, Meyer, & Luchak, 2006). We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this context effect.

The Psychological Need Satisfaction in Exercise Scale

The purpose of this study was to provide initial construct validity evidence for scores derived from the Psychological Need Satisfaction in Exercise (PNSE) scale, a multidimensional instrument designed to measure perceived psychological need satisfaction in line with Deci and Ryanʼs (1985, 2002) self-determination theory (SDT). Participants in two studies (n1 = 426; n2 = 581) completed the PNSE along with proxy measures of need satisfaction. The results of an exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 supported the retention of a 3-factor measurement model underpinning PNSE responses. Confirmatory factor analysis conducted in Study 2 corroborated the tenability of the 3-factor measurement model in males and females and indicated partial support for invariance of PNSE scores across gender. Additionally, the scores on both the PNSE-Competence and PNSE-Relatedness subscales displayed a pattern of convergence with proxy measures. High internal consistency estimates (Cronbach α > 0.90) were observed for all PNSE subscale scores, and participants in both studies reported high levels of need satisfaction in exercise contexts. Overall, the findings suggest that the PNSE displays a number of psychometric characteristics that render the instrument useful for examining psychological need satisfaction in exercise contexts.

Erratum: Three Studies of Measures of Need Satisfaction in Organizations

Erratum: Three Studies of Measures of Need Satisfaction in Organizations

Three Studies of Measures of Need Satisfaction in Organizations

1 The authors acknowledge the comments of Pete Dachler, Dick Hackman, Tim Hall and Ed Lawler on earlier drafts of this paper. Data analyses reported in this paper were partially supported by the Computer Science Center, University of Maryland, College Park Campus. Three studies attempting to achieve convergence between different measures designed to assess need satisfaction in organizations are reported.1 Study I showed poor convergence between two measures of Maslow's concepts on a sample of 146 nurses. Study 11 showed poor convergence between Maslow and ERG measures in a sample of 217 bank employees. Study Ill showed some convergence where expected between Maslow and ERG measures for 522 employees in a life insurance company. Study Ill also showed some meaningful correlations between Maslow measures and the Job Description Index measure of job satisfaction and a high degree of convergence between ERG and JDI measures. Discussion of results from the different studies concerns the effect of differences in item format on construct intercorrelations and the need to know intermeasure convergence prior to making interstudy comparisons of results. It is suggested that the failure to find support for Maslow's need categories in organizational settings is due to: (1) an inadequate conceptualization which does not readily facilitate the development of operational indicators, and (2) the initial orientation of Maslow's theory which was not specifically aimed toward organizational settings.

Perception of friendship rewards and affiliation arousal

Sociometric ratings were administered to fraternity Ss to increase anxieties over the possibility of rejection. The effects of arousal varied with the measure of need satisfaction and the kind of need. Aroused Ss rated their fraternity lower on need fulfillment than did nonaroused Ss− lower on utility (p <.05) and similarity (p <.10) and at the same level on ego reinforcement and authenticity. Differences in fulfillment among the four needs were accentuated in the aroused group. Need importance and equity of rewards were not influenced by arousal. The results support social exchange theory concerning the effects of situational cues on the evaluation of rewards.

An Occupational Study of Job and Need Satisfaction

Ratings from Ss in various occupations of important needs satisfied by jobs were consistent with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. A questionnaire having construct validity was developed to estimate job satisfaction from measures of need satisfaction.