Motivational, affective, and activity-related effects of teacher and peer support in high school physical education

[Truncated] Chapter 1 provides a topical background and justification for this study. A general literature review follows in chapter 2, which aims to specify, in more detail, the overarching themes to be explored, whilst elucidating the relevant literature in the field. Chapter 3 details the main article, and a more specific introduction constructs the research questions that were investigated. Guided by the principles outlined within selfdetermination theory, the tripartite efficacy framework, and the trans-contextual model of motivation, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between physical education (PE) teacher- and peer-based relatedness support, PE teacher- and peer-based relatedness need satisfaction, and PE teacher- and peer-focused relationinferred self-efficacy (RISE) in an all-female cohort. We also investigated the relations that these relational variables displayed with students’ self-determined motivation, worry (i.e., PE and social anxiety), behavioural engagement in PE, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA).

Students from an all girls’ independent school (N = 379; age M = 13.36, SD = 1.19) completed measures assessing all of the aforementioned concepts over two PE lessons, and teachers provided an external rating for students’ behavioural engagement. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling procedures.