Motivational Climate and Attitudes towards Physical Education: Implications for Student Engagement in Community Youth Sport

Paulo Pereira; Fernando Santos; Daniel A Marinho

doi:10.53103/cjess.v6i1.444

Authors

Paulo Pereira Centro de Investigação e Inovação em Educação, InED, Escola Superior de Educação, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Portugal
Fernando Santos Centro de Investigação e Inovação em Educação, InED, Escola Superior de Educação, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Portugal
Daniel A Marinho Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Research Centre in Sports, Health and Human Development (CIDESD), Covilhã, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53103/cjess.v6i1.444

Keywords:

Policy, Youth; Sport, Development, Pedagogy

Abstract

Fostering quality physical education and sport programs are complex endeavors. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was three-fold: (a) assess students’ varying motivations towards engagement in community sports in relation to age and gender; (b) examine the relationship between students’ perceptions towards the motivational climate in physical education classes and their attitudes towards physical education; and (b) analyze the influence of students’ attitudes towards physical education and their motivation to engage in community sports. A total of 288 Portuguese adolescent students participated in the present study. Findings highlight that mastery-oriented climates have a significant influence on students’ attitudes towards physical education, which also positively influenced intrinsic motivation towards participation in community youth sport programs. Collaborative efforts to design physical education and community youth sport programs may be needed. Such collaborative efforts may create solid grounds for articulated and coherent plans and strategies employed by schools and youth sport organizations.

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