Perceived classroom climate and motivation in physical education during the move to middle school

Declines in physical activity-related beliefs and behaviors have been observed in the physical education setting as students move through middle school (Parish & Treasure, 2003). According to the stage-environment fit hypothesis (Eccles & Midgley, 1989) and self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) these declines may be due in part to change in students' perceptions of the physical education context. Certain changes in the social context may undermine key individual perceptions that impact self-determined motivation, affect, and behavior. The purposes of this dissertation were to: (a) examine the relationships among and change in students' perceptions of the classroom climate, individual perceptions (competence, autonomy, relatedness), self-determined motivation, and enjoyment in physical education and physical activity outside of school and (b) explain change in these variables as students move into the first two years of middle school. Students completed a multi-form questionnaire with psychometrically sound measures of study variables as 5th and 6th graders (n = 518) and again the next school year (n = 449). Results from structural equation modeling analyses revealed that perceived teacher support mediated the positive relationships between perceived mastery climate and individual perceptions. Perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness partially mediated the positive relationship between perceived teacher support and self determined motivation. Further, students' enjoyment in physical education mediated the positive relationship between self-determined motivation and physical activity outside of school. Group difference analyses showed that students' perceptions of teacher support (older cohort who changed teachers only), enjoyment in physical education, and physical activity behavior declined from one school year to the next. Finally, results of structural models of change in study variables supported cross-sectional analyses. This study extends past research by including perceived teacher support in an examination of the physical education classroom climate, providing a description of motivation-related variables in physical education as students move into middle school and demonstrating the link between students' physical education experiences and their physical activity behavior outside of school. Developing strategies that help students feel supported by their teacher and socially connected in physical education may promote self-determined motivation in physical education and, in turn, greater physical activity outside of school.