Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs as Predictors of Motivation towards Physical Education in Primary Education: Influence of Gender and Physical Self-Concept.

The aims of this study are as follows: (a) to determine the level of physical self-concept, satisfaction with basic psychological needs (BNP), and motivation towards physical education (PE) among primary education school students; (b) to analyze the correlations between the different variables; to (c) identify gender differences in the studied variables; and (d) to examine the capacity of BPN, physical self-concept, and gender as predictors of different types of motivation towards PE. The sample comprises 474 primary school students (average age = 10.58; SD = 0.626) from four educational centers in A Coruña, Spain. A multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to determine whether independent variables of BPN, gender, and physical self-concept can predict different types of motivation towards PE. The results show that satisfaction with the BPN of autonomy is significantly lower than the other two variables. Moreover, there is a positive and significant correlation between physical self-concept and satisfaction with BPN, as well as with intrinsic, identified, and introjected motivations. Boys outperform girls in physical self-concept, satisfaction with competence and socialization BPNs, and introjected, external, and amotivation motivations. The main conclusion is that BPNs solely forecast the most self-determined motivations (intrinsic and identified), have a restricted influence on introjected motivations, and do not predict external regulation or amotivation. Neither gender nor physical self-concept significantly contributes to predicting any motivation towards PE at these ages.

Basic Psychological Needs, Physical Self-Concept, and Physical Activity Among Adolescents: Autonomy in Focus.

The contribution of this research lies in its dual approach to the question of physical activity (PA) among adolescents, combining objective measurement of PA by teenagers and a comparison of psychological satisfaction through physical activities involving differing degrees of autonomy (i.e., organized or unstructured). Using the conceptual framework of Self-Determination Theory, the analysis also examines the relationship between levels of PA among adolescents and physical self-concept and satisfaction of basic psychological needs during exercise. The study surveyed 129 first-year higher secondary education students from schools in the city of A Coruña. Satisfaction of basic psychological needs during organized and unstructured physical activities was measured using the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale. PA levels were assessed based on step count per day for a week as measured by an accelerometer. The results show that the daily step average recorded by students (7,400) is below the minimum recommended levels of PA for this age group, that students are more active on weekdays than at the weekend, and that there is no significant difference in PA levels between male and female subjects (T = 0.23, p < 0.05, d = 0.04). Findings from the comparative analysis of the three basic psychological needs show greater satisfaction of the need for autonomy during unstructured activities (T = 6.15, p < 0.001, d = 0.68), and greater satisfaction of the need for competence during organized activities (T = -2.50, p < 0.05, d = 0.27). No variation in terms of sex was found in relation to satisfaction of the need for autonomy or relatedness from unstructured activities; however, girls showed notably lower satisfaction than boys in relation to the need for competence (T = -2.62, p < 0.01, d = 0.49). Self-esteem was found to play an important mediating role and observed to be strongly related to sex (T = -5.16, p < 0.001, d = 0.90). Organized PA was found to provide greater need satisfaction among boys than girls across all categories. The study showed no relationship between psychological variables and objectively measured PA (Pillai's trace: F = 0.86, p > 0.05, η2 = 0.08, observed power = 0.66). Basic psychological needs show significant positive interrelation between them and a significant positive relationship between them and physical self-concept, as expected based on previous literature.

Ocio deportivo, imagen corporal y satisfacción vital en jóvenes españoles / Sport leisure, body image satisfaction and life satisfaction in Spanish youth

Los objetivos de este estudio son (1) analizar el efecto del género y de la edad en la participación en actividades de ocio y en la satisfacción con la imagen corporal (SIC) y vital (SV) y, (2) examinar cómo éstas últimas varían según la participación en distintas modalidades de ocio (deportivo, cultural, electrónico, festivo y otros). Se recogieron datos de 1764 estudiantes de Enseñanza Secundaria Postobligatoria (con una edad media de 18.6 años) de centros públicos y privados españoles, que completaron un cuestionario sobre la organización de los tiempos académicos y de ocio. Los resultados indican que el ocio deportivo (práctica de actividad físico-deportiva durante el ocio) se relaciona positivamente con la SIC y SV en los jóvenes estudiados. El género (y no la edad) es una variable de confusión en esta relación que debe ser controlada y analizada. El ocio deportivo se asocia con mayores niveles de SIC y de SV respecto a algunos tipos de ocio, pero no a todos. El ocio electrónico se vincula con una menor SV, mientras el ocio cultural arroja los valores más bajos en cuanto a SIC y SV. Son necesarias futuras investigaciones que contrasten el efecto del ocio deportivo con otras modalidades de ocio

The aims of this study were (1) to analyze the impact of gender and age on leisure activities participation and on both body image satisfaction (BIS) and life satisfaction (LS), and (2) examine how BIS and LS varied according to participation on different leisure activities (sport, cultural, electronic, festive, others). Data was collected from 1764 Spanish Post-Compulsory Secondary students (mean age 18.6 years) of public and private schools who completed a self-administered questionnaire about school and leisure time. Results showed that physical activity was positively related with BIS and LS. Gender (not age) was a confounding factor in this relation which must be further checked and analyzed. Sport leisure was associated with higher levels of BIS and LS than others types of leisure, but not all. Electronic leisure was associated with less LS, while cultural leisure had the lowest levels of BIS and LS. Further research about the effect of sport leisure on BIS and LS compared with other types of leisure is required