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Objectives The present study tested whether self-reported school and leisure-time physical activity have a reciprocal relationship with Physical Education (PE)-based motivational regulations described by self-determination theory. Participants were 635 11- and 12-year-old school children from the United Kingdom. Design & Method A cross-lagged longitudinal design over two time points was employed. Study hypotheses were analyzed using latent factor reciprocal effects models. Results Following temporal invariance tests, data revealed positive relationships between both types of physical activity and subsequent changes in autonomous motivation, but not the oft-stated reverse relationship. No relationships were observed involving introjected regulation. Theoretically aligned relationships between external regulation and changes in physical activity were observed, but no reverse relationships. Both types of physical activity behavior were negatively associated with changes in amotivation in PE, but surprisingly, amotivation in PE positively predicted changes in leisure-time physical activity. Conclusions In general, physical activity participation may help children internalize reasons for partaking in PE and foster self-determination. However, the widespread theory that self-determined PE motives can develop school and leisure-time physical activity participation was not compellingly demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: To investigate the sequence of relations between dimensions of perfectionism, autonomous and controlled motivation, and coping (Study 1) or exerted effort (Study 2) during training. Design: Cross-sectional (Study 1), short-term longitudinal (Study 2). Methods: In Study 1, participants were 333 Greek adolescent athletes (M age = 15.59 years, SD = 2.37) from various sports; they were assessed with respect to their dimensions of perfectionism, perceived competence, self-determined motivation, and sport-related coping skills. In Study 2, participants were 63 adolescent athletes (M age = 14.40 years, SD = 1.58) participating in a three-week summer basketball camp; they first were assessed with respect to their perfectionism, perceived competence, and self-determined motivation and then, for consecutive times after daily training, with respect to their situational self-determined motivation and the effort they invest during training. Results: In both studies, structural equation modeling revealed that personal standards were positively related to both autonomous and controlled motivation and that concern over mistakes were uniquely related to controlled motivation. In turn, autonomous motivation, as compared to controlled motivation, was linked with better coping (Study1) and more effort (Study 2). Conclusion: Athletes with high personal standards are more likely to report effective coping or to put more effort if they become (or remain) autonomously motivated. In contrast, athletes with concerns over mistakes are more likely to exhibit controlled motivation and, in turn, to report poorer coping skills or to put less effort compared to autonomous motivated athletes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate, within a cross-cultural context, the psychometric properties of scores derived from the Perceived Locus of Causality Questionnaire (PLOCQ) and the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS). Both questionnaires are grounded in self-determination theory and are commonly employed in physical education research. Method: Secondary school students from the United Kingdom (UK; n = 300, mean age = 13.71) and Hong Kong (HK; n = 342, mean age = 15.34 years) completed both questionnaires prior to a physical education lesson. Results: Internal consistency analyses, as well as single and multi-group confirmatory factor analyses produced evidence that largely supported the reliability and validity of PLOCQ and SIMS scores in the UK sample. However, the analyses indicated some areas of concern regarding the internal consistency of the external and introjected regulation PLOCQ items in the HK sample. Also, identified regulation and intrinsic motivation constructs were not distinguishable by youth in either culture in either questionnaire. Finally, compared with the UK, students in HK interpreted the SIMS external regulation items to be more self-determined. Conclusions: Researchers interested in studying contextual and situational motivation in UK physical education classes should, in general, feel confident in using the PLOCQ and the SIMS, respectively. However, our results highlight some important difficulties in the measurement of contextual and situational motivation in HK Chinese students. Further research is needed to better understand how students from different cultures respond to items intended to tap controlling forms of motivation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this study was to integrate the approach–avoidance model of achievement goals with self-determination theory in the context of structured exercise. More specifically, we analysed how perceived motivational climate, implicit ability beliefs, perceived competence, and achievement goals contributed to exercisers’ self-determined motivation. Design: A cross-sectional design using questionnaires was adopted. Method: The sample consisted of exercisers (N =727; 402 males and 325 females) aged between 16 and 78 years (M=32.57, SD =11.39) attending different sports centres. Examples of exercise activities undertaken included weightlifting, aerobics, Pilates, keep-fit for adults, indoor cycling, and fitness. Results: Structural equation modelling showed that a perceived mastery climate positively predicted incremental beliefs and perceived competence, whereas a perceived performance climate positively predicted entity beliefs. Incremental beliefs underpinned mastery-approach goals, performance-approach goals and performance-avoidance goals, whilst entity beliefs underpinned both performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals. Perceived competence positively predicted approach goals. Self-determined motivation was predicted positively by mastery-approach goals but negatively by both performance goals. The model was invariant across gender and age. Conclusions: The present study provides initial support for the integration of the approach–avoidance goal framework and self-determination theory in the exercise domain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study examined reciprocal relations between autonomous motivation from self-determination theory (SDT) and constructs from the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in a sport injury context. The study adopted a three-wave longitudinal cross-lagged panel design. Physical education students in China (N = 4414; M age = 14.42, SD = 1.75) completed self-report measures of autonomous motivation, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control with respect to sport injury prevention at baseline (T1) and at two follow-up occasions one (T2) and three (T3) months later. Proposed reciprocal relations between autonomous motivation and the TPB constructs controlling for construct stability over time were tested using structural equation modeling. Three cross-lagged SEMs for effects of constructs measured at T1 on constructs measured at T2 and T3, and effects of constructs measured at T2 on constructs measured at T3 met goodness-of-fit criteria (CFI > 0.95, TLI > 0.94, RMSEA = 0.03, SRMR = 0.05) with consistent patterns of effects. Across the three models, autonomous motivation predicted the prospectively-measured TPB constructs with small-to-medium effect sizes (β range = 0.17 to 0.32, ps <.001), but associations between the TPB variables and prospectively-measured autonomous motivation were markedly smaller in size (β range = 0.01 to 0.18, ps range =.001 to.892). Findings provide initial support for the temporal ordering of the constructs in the integrated model of SDT and TPB in a sport injury context. Autonomous motivation from SDT is likely to be an antecedent of the constructs from the TPB. • Reciprocal effects of autonomous motivation and beliefs about future behavior were tested in a cross-lagged panel design. • Autonomous motive is likely to be the antecedent of positive beliefs toward sport injury prevention behaviors. • Findings provide formative research on potentially modifiable targets for sport injury prevention behavioral interventions. • Future intervention research targeting change in autonomous motivation and examining effects on beliefs is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]