Relationships between perceived teachers' controlling behaviour, psychological need thwarting, anger and bullying behaviour in high-school students

Evidence of validity and reliability of the controlling motivational style questionnaire in the work context

According to the self-determination theory (SDT), leaders may adopt a controlling motivational controlling style (CMS) that forces employees to think, feel, or behave in a certain way to promote employee motivation. However, a scale has yet to be developed to measure CMS in the work environment. Usually, researchers use questionnaires adapted to different contexts or designed for another motivational style. However, whether these questionnaires capture the behaviors that represent CMS in the work context is little known. This research aimed to elaborate on and analyze the validity and reliability of the questionnaire on Controlling Motivational Style at Work (CMS-W). The study was based on a literature review of the types of controlling behaviors and a review of questionnaires used by SDT researchers who assessed the controlling motivational style in different contexts. A Peruvian sample of 1100 public sector employees participated. The results show that the short and encompassing CMS-W-11 has a one-dimensional structure with good fit indices: Robust RMSEA = 0.071 with 90 % CI from 0.064 to 0.078; Robust CFI = 0.975; Robust TLI = 0.969; SRMR = 0.025 and good reliability coefficients: Ω = 0.930 and AVE 0.630. Furthermore, it shows convergent validity with controlled motivation (r = 0.260, p < .001) and discriminant validity with autonomous motivation (r = -0.270, p < .001). Moreover, the invariance of the gender category was tested. The fit indices were adequate, and the comparative results between the models were also satisfactory. In addition, the behaviors of the CMS in a work context are conditional negative regard, judging and devaluing, control through objectives, intimidation, and intrusive authority. Therefore, labor organizations will have the CMS-W validated and tested in a work context to evaluate the CMS of leaders and study how it related to the motivation of human capital and organizational objectives.

Correlates of Bullying Behavior Among Children and Adolescents in Physical Education: A Systematic Review

Background and Objective

Bullying is notably prevalent among children and adolescents, especially within the context of physical education (PE) environments. Understanding the underlying factors that trigger bullying behavior is essential in designing strategies to prevent bullying and formulating more effective interventions in PE. There is a lack of integrated findings regarding the wide range of correlates of bullying behavior among children and adolescents within the PE context. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to synthesize the correlates of bullying behavior among children and adolescents within the context of PE.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search across four databases (EBSCOhost, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) for relevant studies published before August 2023. Two reviewers independently examined the articles, assessed their methodological quality, and performed data extraction.

Results

A total of 23 articles met the inclusion criteria. It is found that demographic, physical movement, physical appearance, psycho-cognitive, teacher-related, and contextual factors emerged as six prominent influential factors affecting adolescent bullying behavior. Specifically, demographic factors mainly encompassed age and gender; physical movement factors primarily include physical activity, sedentary behavior, physical exercise, and sports competence; physical appearance factors primarily include being overweight, too thin, too tall, or too short; psycho-cognitive factors chiefly involved cognitive empathy, motivation, enjoyment of physical activity; teacher-related factors primarily comprised activity choices, teachers competence, controlling style, autonomy support; and contextual factors primarily cover desolate climate, perceived caring climate, strong sense of competition and winning setting.

Conclusion

The results indicate that bullying is a complex and multifaced behavior primarily determined by demographic, physical movement, physical appearance, psycho-cognitive, teacher-related, and contextual factors. Future studies need to enhance the diversity of research samples and comparative studies on the factors influencing bullying behavior among children and adolescents in different countries. Additionally, a more extensive range of intervention studies addressing bullying behavior among children and adolescents is warranted.

A Systematic Review of the Prevalence and Correlates of Emotional Violence by Teachers

There is increasing evidence for the deleterious impact of emotional violence on children`s well-being and development. This systematic review focused on a) the prevalence and (b) correlates of emotional violence by teachers. A literature search of quantitative and peer-reviewed studies published in English between 1980 and April 2021 was conducted. Eighty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies represented all geographical regions of the world, were predominantly cross-sectional and of moderate quality. Studies were heterogeneous in terms of their samples, conceptualization, and measurement of emotional violence. Results indicated that emotional violence by teachers is prevalent across cultural settings, although large variations within and between regions are noted. It is related to mental health, behavioral and academic problems of children above and beyond physical violence by teachers and victimization by peers and parents. Boys are at higher risk of experiencing emotional violence by teachers than girls. Family dysfunction, low socioeconomic status (of the family or the community), and violent school environments appear to increase risk as well. The observed patterns of co-occurrence of emotional violence with physical violence by teachers and victimization by peers as well as perpetration of violence against peers and teachers lend support to notions of poly-victimization and cycles of violence in the school settings. Future research should use representative surveys, examine antecedents, and consequences of emotional violence by teachers using longitudinal and experimental designs and evaluate interventions to prevent emotional violence by teachers.

The effect of perceived teachers' interpersonal behavior on students' learning in physical education: a systematic review

The primary purpose of this study was to conduct the first systematic review on teachers' interpersonal behaviors and students' learning within the physical education context. We searched the English literature in the EBSCOhost, Web of Science, SCOPUS and PubMed electronic databases and following screening, data extraction, quality assessment, 35 published articles were included in this review. The results showed that: perceived teachers' supportive behaviors have effect on autonomous motivation of students, and perceived teachers' controlling behaviors have effect on students' controlling motivation and amotivation, the influencing mechanism may be that teachers' interpersonal teaching behaviors make students' basic psychological needs satisfaction or frustration; perceived teachers' international behaviors have effect on PE learning emotion of students, and perceiving teachers' supportive behaviors can trigger students' positive learning emotion, on the contrary, perceiving teachers' controlling behaviors can stimulate students' negative learning emotion; teachers' interpersonal behaviors have effect on students' psychological well-being and physical activity levels in class with the evidence insufficient, and more evidence are needed. It is extremely necessary to expand such study direction and strengthen better quality study to explore the effect of teachers' interpersonal behaviors on learning process and learning outcome in physical education class, and examine the indirect influence mechanism through that the relationship is connected. The present review provides preliminary evidence to enhance the quality of physical education teaching in class, promote students' academic performance by intervening teachers' interpersonal behaviors.

Teachers' motivational prosody: A pre-registered experimental test of children's reactions to tone of voice used by teachers

BACKGROUND

Teachers' behaviours drive motivational climates that shape children's engagement and well-being in the classroom, but few studies examine how specific teachers' behaviours such as wording, body language, or voice contribute to these outcomes in isolation of one another.

AIMS

This pre-registered experiment sought to examine the often-forgotten role that teachers' tone of voice plays in children's education. Informed by the theoretical framework of self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness, 2017), conditions manipulated controlling (pressuring, demanding), autonomy-supportive (inviting of choice), or motivationally neutral, tones of voice to explore their effects on children's self-reported psychological needs satisfaction, well-being, intention to self-disclose to and intention to cooperate with their teacher.

SAMPLE AND METHOD

Children aged 10-16 years (n = 250) heard pre-recorded teachers' voices holding sentence content and speakers constant across conditions, but varying tones of voice.

RESULTS

We hypothesized a-priori and found that when children heard controlling sounding voices, they anticipated lower basic psychological need satisfaction, well-being, and intention to disclose to teachers, as compared to neutral-sounding voices. We also anticipated beneficial effects for autonomy-supportive versus neutral voices, but pre-registered analyses did not support these expectations. Intention to cooperate with teachers did not differ across conditions. Supporting relational motivation theory (RMT; Deci & Ryan, Human Motivation and Interpersonal Relationships, 2014), exploratory analyses showed that hearing autonomy-supportive sounding voices increased autonomy and relatedness need satisfactions (but not competence need satisfaction), and through doing so indirectly related to beneficial outcomes (well-being, intention to cooperate and self-disclose).

CONCLUSION

In summary, tones of voice seem to play an important role in shaping teachers' impact on their students.

Prediction of Youth Violence Perpetration by Parental Nurturing Over Time

Parental nurturing, including maternal and paternal caring and discussing ethics, is likely to predict violence perpetration in the youth negatively. This prediction stands on social bond theory, which specifies that parents and their bonding are crucial to curb violence perpetration. Nevertheless, the prediction is unclear from adolescence to young adulthood. To clarify this, the present study examines the effects over 6 years, using the panel data of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health on 3,947 U.S. youths. The examination controlled for prior violence perpetration and, thus, its confounding factors. Results showed that paternal nurturing but not maternal nurturing at Wave 1 and Wave 2 consistently displayed statistically significant inverse effects on violence perpetration at Wave 3. However, the significant effects were very weak. Paternal nurturing was very weakly inversely predictive of youth violence perpetration 6 years later. This conclusion implies that promoting paternal nurturing is slightly but not tremendously helpful to prevent violence perpetration in youth later. Meanwhile, practice can capitalize on the features of paternal bonding to deploy male nurturing and role modeling for such prevention.

Autonomy-Supportive Teaching Enhances Prosocial and Reduces Antisocial Behavior via Classroom Climate and Psychological Needs: A Multilevel Randomized Control Intervention

Autonomy-supportive teaching increases prosocial and decreases antisocial behavior. Previous research showed that these effects occur because autonomy-supportive teaching improves students' need states (a student-level process). However, the present study investigated whether these effects also occur because autonomy-supportive teaching improves the classroom climate (a classroom-level process). Teachers from 80 physical education classrooms were randomly assigned to participate (or not) in an autonomy-supportive teaching intervention, while their 2,227 secondary-grade students reported their need satisfaction and frustration, supportive and hierarchical classroom climates, and prosocial and antisocial behaviors at the beginning, middle, and end of an academic year. A doubly latent, multilevel structural equation model showed that teacher participation in the intervention (experimental condition) increased class-wide need satisfaction, a supportive climate, and prosocial behavior and decreased class-wide need frustration, a hierarchical climate, and antisocial behavior. Together, greater collective need satisfaction and a more supportive climate combined to explain increased prosocial behavior, while lesser need frustration and a less hierarchical climate combined to explain decreased antisocial behavior. These classroom climate effects have been overlooked, yet they are essential to explain why autonomy-supportive teaching improves students' social functioning.

The Mediating Role of Rumination in the Relation between Basic Psychological Need Frustration and Depressive Symptoms

Research within the framework of Basic Psychological Need Theory (BPNT) finds strong associations between basic need frustration and depressive symptoms. This study examined the role of rumination as an underlying mechanism in the association between basic psychological need frustration and depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional sample of N = 221 adults (55.2% female, mean age = 27.95, range = 18-62, SD = 10.51) completed measures assessing their level of basic psychological need frustration, rumination, and depressive symptoms. Correlational analyses and multiple mediation models were conducted. Brooding partially mediated the relation between need frustration and depressive symptoms. BPNT and Response Styles Theory are compatible and can further advance knowledge about depression vulnerabilities.

Effects of filial piety belief on cyberbullying perpetration of Chinese university students

Cyberbullying has become a worldwide phenomenon. Although the topic has drawn decent academic attention and many studies have been conducted on Chinese samples, variable interests in these studies have not captured the thinking and behavioral characteristics of Chinese people. Based on the dual filial piety model and self-determination theory, this study examined the effect of filial piety belief on cyberbullying perpetration and tested the mediation of relatedness need satisfaction. A total of 856 university students completed the questionnaires, including dual filial piety scale, relatedness need satisfaction scale and cyberbullying perpetration scale. The regression results found that reciprocal filial piety negatively predicted and authoritarian filial piety positively predicted cyberbullying perpetration. The SEM results showed that reciprocal filial piety and authoritarian filial piety impacted cyberbullying perpetration through the mediating effect of relatedness need satisfaction. Reciprocal filial piety was positively while authoritarian filial piety negatively correlated with relatedness need satisfaction and relatedness need satisfaction was negatively correlated with cyberbullying perpetration. The results provide a new position to understand the effect of family factors on cyberbullying perpetration by placing the topic within traditional Chinese family value.

Perceived Physical Education Teachers' Controlling Behaviour and Students' Physical Activity during Leisure Time-The Dark Side of the Trans-Contextual Model of Motivation

Background: Previous studies have shown that the controlling behaviour of physical education teachers might be detrimental to their students’ psychological experiences. The purpose of this work was to examine whether and to what extent the different dimensions of the perceived controlling teaching questionnaire predict students’ basic psychological needs, motivations, and physical activities during leisure-time. Methods: A total of 299 students (164 boys and 135 girls) from four Estonian general education schools and two vocational education institutions participated in the study. Students filled in the questionnaire of study variables. A variance-based structural model was used to test the research hypotheses. Results: The results revealed that different forms of controlling behaviours predicted psychological need frustration (β = 0.09−0.37; p < 0.01). Psychological need frustration predicted controlled motivation (β = 0.52; p < 0.01). Controlled motivation predicted subjective norms (β = 0.51; p < 0.01). Intention was predicted by attitudes (β = 0.30; p < 0.01), perceived behavioural control (β = 0.37; p < 0.01), and subjective norms (β = 0.15; p < 0. 01). Attitude was statistically significantly related to leisure-time physical activity (β = 0.09; p < 0.05). The model describes 10% of students’ physical activity in the context of leisure-time. Conclusion: The results of this study highlight that physical education teachers should avoid using controlling behaviours if the aim is to avoid frustrating their students’ psychological needs, which might have detrimental effect on students’ leisure-time physical activity via controlled forms of motivation.

Evaluating the immediate and delayed effects of psychological need thwarting of online teaching on Chinese primary and middle school teachers’ psychological well-being

Recent studies on the effects of mandatory online teaching, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, have widely reported low levels of satisfaction, unwillingness to continue online teaching, and negative impacts on the psychological well-being of teachers. Emerging research has highlighted the potential role of psychological need thwarting (PNT), in terms of autonomy, competence, and relatedness thwarting, resulting from online teaching. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate and delayed (longitudinal) effects of PNT of online teaching on teachers’ well-being (including distress and burnout), intention to continue online teaching, and job satisfaction. Moreover, data collected from both cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys allowed for a systematic validation of an important instrument in the field of teacher psychology, the Psychological Need Thwarting Scale of Online Teaching (PNTSOT), in terms of longitudinal reliability and validity. The data reveal the usefulness of the construct of PNT in terms predicting and explaining teachers’ willingness to continue using online teaching as well as the degree of burnout after a period of 2 months, such that PNT is positively associated with burnout and negatively associated with willingness to continue online teaching. As such, the PNTSOT is recommended for future research evaluating the long-term psychological, affective, and intentional outcomes stemming from teachers’ PNT. Moreover, based on our findings that the impact from PNT of online teaching is persistent and long-term, we suggest that school leaders provide flexible and sustained professional development, model respectful and adaptive leadership, and create opportunities for mastery for the development of community of practice that can mitigate the thwarting of teachers’ autonomy, competence, and relatedness during times of uncertainty. Additionally, in terms of the psychometric properties of the PNTSOT instrument, our empirical findings demonstrate internal reliability, test–retest reliability, measurement invariance, and criterion validity (concurrent and predictive) based on cross-sectional and longitudinal data.

Can Acting Out Online Improve Adolescents' Well-Being During Contact Restrictions? A First Insight Into the Dysfunctional Role of Cyberbullying and the Need to Belong in Well-Being During COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Contact Restrictions

Connecting with peers online to overcome social isolation has become particularly important during the pandemic-related school closures across many countries. In the context of contact restrictions, feelings of isolation and loneliness are more prevalent and the regulation of these negative emotions to maintain a positive well-being challenges adolescents. This is especially the case for those individuals who might have a high need to belong and difficulties in emotional competences. The difficult social situation during contact restrictions, more time for online communication and maladaptive emotion regulation might lead to aggressive communication patterns in the form of cyberbullying perpetration. In an online study with N = 205 adolescents aged 14–19 (M = 15.83, SD = 1.44; 57% girls), we assessed the frequency of online and offline contacts, need to belong, emotion regulation problems, feelings of loneliness, and cyberbullying perpetration as predictors of adolescents’ well-being. In particular, we explored whether cyberbullying perpetration might function as a maladaptive strategy to deal with feelings of loneliness and therefore predicts well-being. This effect was expected to be stronger for those with a higher need to belong and with higher emotion regulation problems. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis revealed that well-being was significantly predicted by less emotion regulation difficulties, less feeling isolated and more cyberbullying perpetration. We also tested whether the need to belong or emotion regulation problems moderated the association between cyberbullying and well-being. While the results for emotion regulation problems were not significant, the moderation effect for the need to belong was significant: For students with a high need to belong, well-being was more strongly related to cyberbullying perpetration than for students with a medium need to belong. For students with a low need to belong, cyberbullying was not significantly associated with well-being. That cyberbullying perpetration predicted well-being positively is rather surprising in the light of previous research showing negative psychosocial outcomes also for cyberbullying perpetrators. The moderation analysis provides a hint at underlying processes: In times of distance learning and contact restrictions, cyberbullying may be a way of coming into contact with others and to regulate loneliness maladaptively.

Web-Based and Face-To-Face Autonomy-Supportive Intervention for Physical Education Teachers and Students' Experiences

The most of the previous autonomy-supportive interventions conducted have been partially effective and used only web-based or face-to-face approach. In the current study, a combined web-based and face-to-face intervention for physical education (PE) teachers was tested to examine whether it would lead to significant changes in students' self-reports of autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviours, psychological need satisfaction and frustration, and intrinsic motivation. Participants were 57 PE teachers (Mage = 45.70, SD = 12.79) and their 858 middle-school students (Mage = 13.22, SD = 0.75). A randomized controlled design was adopted in which PE teachers and their students were assigned to the combined face-to-face and web-based, face-to-face alone, web-based alone or control group. Face-to-face intervention was provided to PE teachers within one day in an 8-hour workshop and web-based intervention was provided to PE teachers for a period of four weeks. The combined face-to-face and web-based intervention group was the only study group that demonstrated statistically significant changes in all the study variables (i.e., significant increase in cognitive, organisational, and procedural autonomy-supportive behaviour, in psychological need satisfaction for autonomy, competence and relatedness, and in intrinsic motivation, whereas significant decrease in intimidation, controlling use of grades, and negative conditional regard, and in psychological need frustration for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) compared to the control group at a one-month follow-up. There were no significant differences in any of the study variable, except organisational autonomy support and intimidation, between the web-based intervention group and face-to-face intervention group. Both web-based and face-to-face study group students reported significant gains in most of the study variables compared to the control group students at a one-month follow-up. The current findings suggest that future autonomy-supportive interventions for PE teachers should aim to use combined interventions of face-to-face and web-based approach to gain the greatest intervention effects.

An Examination of Mentors’ Interpersonal Behaviors and Mentees’ Motivation, Turnover Intentions, Engagement, and Well-Being

Using self-determination theory among a sample of student employees, the present cross-sectional study ( N = 358) examines how mentors’ interpersonal behaviors relate to both motivation at work and motivation for a mentoring relationship and how these two contexts of motivation can differentially relate to mentees’ work outcomes. Results revealed that mentors’ need-supportive interpersonal behaviors were associated with greater autonomous motivation at work and in the mentoring relationship and, in turn, to greater well-being and work engagement, and to lower turnover intentions. In contrast, need-thwarting interpersonal behaviors were associated with greater controlled motivation at work and in the mentoring relationship and, in turn, to lower well-being and work engagement, and to greater turnover intentions. Overall, this study illustrates the impact of the mentor–mentee relationship on motivation for work and for the mentoring relationship and provided support for the contribution of both motivational contexts in the work-related outcomes of employees in the workplace.

Sustainable School Environment as a Landscape for Secondary School Students’ Engagement in Learning

The sustainable school is important in today’s education system to ensure the well-being of younger generations. This research work attempted to empirically test the different predictions of a sustainable school environment for secondary school students’ engagement in learning. The following objectives were formulated: to analyse the differences of sustainable school environment and engagement in learning based on gender and SES background; to analyse the relationship between sustainable school environment variables and engagement in learning; and to examine how sustainable school environment variables could predict students’ emotional and behavioural engagement. The research sample consisted of students from three districts of Lithuania with a disadvantaged SES context. We assessed the sustainable school environment variables and students’ emotional and behavioural engagement in learning with the What Is Happening in this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire, a short form of the Learning Climate Questionnaire (LCQ), and the Student Engagement Scale. The results showed a statistically significant difference in behavioural engagement between boys and girls. There are no differences in sustainable school environment variables and engagement in relation to SES. Teachers’ autonomy supportive behaviour perceived by students has the strongest correlation with emotional and behavioural engagement in learning. Thus, in the Lithuanian schools surveyed, a sustainable school environment is developing.

School Climate, Moral Disengagement and, Empathy as Predictors of Bullying in Adolescents

Our work aimed to study the relationships between different dimensions of school climate, moral disengagement, empathy, and bullying behaviors (perpetration and victimization). The study sample consisted of 629 students (304 boys and 325 girls) aged 12–14 years (M = 12.55, SD = 0.67). Results showed how different dimensions of school climate predicted moral disengagement, empathy, and victimization, and these, in turn, predicted bullying perpetration. The results show the need to generate favorable educational environments to reduce the levels of moral disengagement and victimization and to increase empathy in students as a strategy to prevent negative consequences related to bullying.

Individualism, Competitiveness, and Fear of Negative Evaluation in Pre-adolescents: Does the Teacher's Controlling Style Matter?

The traditional teaching style in which the teacher is in control and there is a submissive attitude in students is predominant in Mexico. The development of identity in preadolescence is subjected to social groups, which could develop interpersonal difficulties through the controlling teaching style. Although the fear of negative evaluation in students and competitive sport has been studied in education, relatively little research has been done in the area of physical education in relation to the controlling style. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation and predictive relationship between controlling teaching and the fear of negative evaluation mediated by the frustration of the basic psychological needs (BPN), controlled motivation, and individualism/competitiveness through the theoretical framework of self-determination theory. Participants were 1132 students in the fifth and sixth grades in public elementary schools in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, with ages between 10 and 13 (M = 10.51 years; SD = 0.66 years). Results indicate the perceived controlling teaching style positively predicted the fear of negative evaluation in students of this study through BPN frustration, that is positively related to low-quality motivation, which is related to a higher level of individualism/competitiveness. This, in turn, is proven to be a predictor of the fear of negative evaluation. The results also discuss the promotion of the autonomy support style, avoiding the controlling teaching style, for the minimization of negative results related to the perception of fear and the development of student well-being both within and beyond the school context.

Need-Supportive and Need-Thwarting Teacher Behavior: Their Importance to Boys' and Girls' Academic Engagement and Procrastination Behavior

Motivation plays an important role in students’ school behavior, and research has established that students’ learning environment experiences such as teachers’ behavior toward them contribute to their motivation and behavior at school. Self-determination theory (SDT) offers an interesting frame of reference in the study of the relationship between students’ learning experiences at school and their school behavior. Considering three basic psychological needs (the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness), the SDT points to the importance of nutriments and support in the social environment in order to allow growth in motivation, engagement, and (psychological) well-functioning. In addition, thwarting these needs is supposed to contribute to maladaptive functioning. Teachers can play an important role in the fulfillment of students’ basic psychological needs by delivering support (autonomy support, structure, and involvement); however, controlling instructional behavior, chaos in the classroom, and teacher rejection and neglect are supposed to be a treat to the fulfillment of students’ basic psychological needs. In the current innovative longitudinal study, teachers’ need-supportive behavior as well as teachers’ thwarting of these needs are considered and their relationship with students’ academic engagement (adaptive functioning) and procrastination behavior (maladaptive functioning) is studied. In addition, attention is paid to differential effects of teachers’ behavior with regard to boys and girls. Participants were 566 students belonging to 20 mathematics/English grade 1 secondary education classes in the Netherlands. Multilevel analyses revealed evidence for the importance of both teachers’ need-supportive and need-thwarting behaviors in relation to students’ academic engagement and procrastination behavior. In addition, the findings revealed that teachers’ need-supportive behavior is more important for students’ academic engagement (adaptive functioning), while teachers’ need-thwarting behavior has larger effects on students’ procrastination behavior (maladaptive functioning). Furthermore, evidence was found that boys often seemed to be more sensitive to their teachers’ behavior than girls. The findings highlight the importance of both teachers’ need-supportive and need-thwarting behaviors in daily classrooms and contribute to deepen our insight into and understanding of factors leading to adaptive and maladaptive functioning of boys and girls in relation to learning tasks at school.

Cumulative Ecological Risk and Problem Behaviors Among Adolescents in Secondary Vocational Schools: The Mediating Roles of Core Self-Evaluation and Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction

Based on the Cumulative Risk Model, a single risk factor cannot play a decisive role, but the cumulative ecological risks may have complex superposition effects on adolescents' problem behaviors. However, although many studies have investigated the specific influences of single external risk factors on problem behaviors, the effect of cumulative ecological risk on problem behaviors and especially the underlying mechanisms therein have been under-investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of cumulative ecological risk on adolescents' problem behaviors, and the mediating effects of core self-evaluation and basic psychological needs satisfaction therein. To achieve this, 1,080 adolescents in secondary vocational schools were surveyed with the questionnaires of cumulative ecological risk, basic psychological need satisfaction, core self-evaluation, externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors. Results showed that: (a) cumulative ecological risk was positively related with both internalizing problem behavior and externalizing problem behavior; (b) core self-evaluation and basic psychological need satisfaction not only respectively but also sequentially mediated the relationship between cumulative ecological risk and two sorts of problem behaviors. These results provide some pivotal implications for the precaution and intervention of the adolescent problem behaviors.

General causality orientations in self-determination theory: Meta-analysis and test of a process model

Causality orientations theory, a key sub-theory of self-determination theory, identifies three distinct causality orientations: autonomy, control, and impersonal orientation. The theory proposes generalized effects of the orientations on motivation and behavior. We meta-analyzed studies ( k = 83) testing relations between causality orientations, forms of motivation from self-determination theory, and behavior. Pooled data were used to test a process model in which autonomous and controlled forms of motivation mediated relations between causality orientations and behavior. Results revealed that autonomy and control orientations were positively correlated with autonomous and controlled forms of motivation, respectively. Impersonal orientation was correlated negatively with autonomy orientation and autonomous forms of motivation, and positively with control orientation and controlled forms of motivation. Process model tests revealed total effects of autonomy orientation on behavior, comprising direct and indirect effects through autonomous motivation, and a positive direct effect of control orientation on behavior and a negative indirect effect through controlled motivation, resulting in a zero total effect. Analysis of age, gender, behavior type, study design, and study quality revealed few moderator effects on model relations. Findings support effects of autonomy orientation on motivation and behavior, and the processes involved, and identify constructs that could be targeted, or circumvented, in behavioral interventions.

Detrimental Effect of Perceived Controlling Behavior from Physical Education Teachers on Students' Leisure-Time Physical Activity Intentions and Behavior: An Application of the Trans-Contextual Model

In the present study, a trans-contextual model was applied to examine the relations between students' perceptions of controlling behavior from teachers, frustration over their basic psychological needs, autonomous motivation toward physical activity in a physical education context, autonomous motivation toward physical activity in an out-of-school context, beliefs and intentions toward future physical activity, and actual participation in physical activity outside of school. We adopted a three-wave prospective study design in which 234 students aged 11-19 years first completed measures of perceived controlling behavior from teachers, frustration over their basic psychological needs, and autonomous motivation toward physical activity in physical education. One week later, their autonomous motivation, beliefs, and intentions toward physical activity outside of school were measured. Students' self-reported engagement in physical activity outside of school was assessed another five weeks later. Results of the path analysis revealed a significant and negative indirect effect of perceived controlling behavior from physical education teachers on students' intention toward physical activity outside of school via the proposed motivational sequence of the trans-contextual model. There was also a significant and negative indirect effect of perceived controlling behavior from physical education teachers on students' self-reported engagement in physical activity outside of school, mediated by the frustration over their need for competence in physical education. Findings emphasize the importance of decreasing controlling behaviors from teachers in a physical education context so as not to inhibit students' physical activity behavior in an out-of-school context.

The Spillover Effect of Autonomy Frustration on Human Motivation and Its Electrophysiological Representation

It is a commonplace that some people may adopt a controlling style, which brings about autonomy frustration to others. Existing studies on autonomy frustration mainly examined its effect in the primary thwarting context, ignoring its potential spillover to subsequent activities. In this study, we examined whether prior autonomy frustration would have a sustaining negative impact on one's motivation in another autonomy-supportive activity that follows. In this electrophysiological study, participants worked on two irrelevant tasks organized by two different experimenters. We adopted a between-group design and manipulated participants' autonomy frustration by providing varied audio instructions during Session 1. In Session 2, all participants were instructed to complete a moderately difficult task that is autonomy-supportive instead, and we observed a less pronounced reward positivity (RewP) difference wave and a smaller P300 in the autonomy-frustration group compared with the control group. These findings suggested that the negative influence of autonomy frustration is longstanding and that it can undermine one's motivation and attention in a following activity that is autonomy-supportive itself. Thus, our findings provided original neutral evidence for the adverse intertemporal effect of autonomy frustration, and suggested important practical implications.

Physical Education Classes as a Precursor to the Mediterranean Diet and the Practice of Physical Activity

Physical activity and a healthy, balanced diet are remaining unresolved issues among young people. According to the World Health Organization, young people do not get enough exercise during the week, and physical education classes are the best way to promote healthy habits. This study aims to analyze how the role of the teacher influences the frustration of psychological needs, coping strategies, motivation, and the adoption of healthy eating habits through the Mediterranean diet and the regular practice of physical activity. The study involved 1031 boys and 910 girls between the ages of 13 and 18. To explain the relationships between the different variables included in this study, a model of structural equations has been developed. The results showed that autonomy support negatively predicted the frustration of four psychological needs. The failure to meet four psychological needs negatively predicted resilience. Likewise, resilience positively predicted autonomous motivation, and this positively predicted the Mediterranean diet and the practice of physical activity. Thus, the results obtained in the present study are in line with those of various studies wherein physical education classes were seen to help consolidate healthy living habits.

The Role of Perception of Support in the Classroom on the Students' Motivation and Emotions: The Impact on Metacognition Strategies and Academic Performance in Math and English Classes

According to various studies and the Cambridge University Student Barometer, Spanish students have the worst academic results in mathematics and English among the European Union countries. The objective of this study has been to analyze the influence of the teacher on motivation, positive emotions, metacognition strategies, and the academic performance of the students in those classes. We analyzed responses from 604 students of English and 547 students of mathematics, aged between 13 and 19 years. The teacher plays a relevant role in the motivation and emotions generated in the students, issues that determine decision making in the students' learning and academic performance.

Predicting Bullying through Motivation and Teaching Styles in Physical Education

From the theoretical framework offered by the self-determination theory, the objective of the study was to test a predictor model of bullying behaviors based on the physical education teacher’s supportive style, the students’ satisfaction of basic psychological needs, and self-determined motivation. A total of 608 students of both sexes, between 11 and 15 years of age, from primary and secondary schools in the province of Alicante (Spain) voluntarily completed questionnaires to measure each of the variables under study. The design of the study was cross-sectional. The results showed that the autonomy supportive style positively predicted the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, which, in turn, positively predicted self-determined motivation towards physical education. The latter negatively predicted bullying perpetration and bullying victimization. The controlling style presented inverse relationships to those of the autonomy supportive style. These results are in line with the positions of the self-determination theory and underline the potential responsibility of physical education teachers in the struggle against bullying, and how, by supporting autonomy and avoiding a controlling style, they can help reduce bullying perpetration and victimization.

Teaching Styles in Physical Education: A New Approach to Predicting Resilience and Bullying

The main objective of this study was to analyze student-perceived teaching styles’ power to predict students’ resilience and the emergence of bullying behaviors in physical education class. A total of 537 students of both sexes, between 11 and 15 years of age, from primary and secondary schools in the province of Alicante (Spain), participated in the study. The design of the study was cross-sectional. The results showed that bullying was positively predicted by students’ perceptions of a more controlling style and negatively by a greater perception of an autonomy-supportive style in physical education classes. Victimization was negatively predicted by greater resilience and positively by students’ perception of a teacher’s more controlling style. Finally, the mediation analysis showed that the perception of autonomy support indirectly and negatively predicted victimization, with resilience acting as a mediator. These findings provide useful information for physical education teachers interested in preventing bullying, and have important practical implications about the teaching style recommended for this purpose.

The Mediating Role of Psychological Need Thwarting in the Relationship Between Compulsory Citizenship Behavior and Psychological Withdrawal

This study examined a novel process underlying the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and psychological withdrawal. Specifically, based on basic psychological needs theory, thwarting of autonomy and relatedness needs were expected to explain the association between compulsory citizenship behavior and psychological withdrawal. The PROCESS macro was used to analyze the data collected from 368 clerical staff working in public universities in Pakistan. The results confirmed that thwarting of autonomy and relatedness need mediated the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and psychological withdrawal. This study makes a significant contribution to the unexplored domain of the process employees use to cope with compulsory citizenship behavior. It also highlights the role of an understudied construct, i.e., psychological need thwarting as a crucial motivational mechanism for elucidating the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and psychological withdrawal. The findings of this study provide recommendations for future researchers, along with its implications for practitioners.

The Dark Side of the Self-Determination Theory and Its Influence on the Emotional and Cognitive Processes of Students in Physical Education

Amongst the main objectives of physical education (PE) classes is the consolidation of healthy lifestyle habits in young people and adolescents. Nonetheless, these classes can also provide the basis from which adverse experiences are generated which affect students’ perceptions of these classes. Previously conducted studies have focused on motivational processes and not on emotional processes, nor on the way in which students learn. The objective of the present study was to explore the dark side of the self-determination theory, its influence on emotional intelligence and the meta-cognitive strategies of students. Methodology: A total of 1602 young people undertaking secondary education participated, with self-reported ages between 13 and 19 years. The following questionnaires were utilized: Controlling Coach Behaviors Scale, Frustration of Psychological Needs in PE classes Scale, Emotional Intelligence in PE Scale and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. A structural equation model was developed which explained causal associations between the study variables. Results: Psychological control positively predicted each one of the sub-factors of frustration of psychological needs. Frustration of psychological needs negatively predicted emotional intelligence. Finally, emotional intelligence positively predicted meta-cognitive thinking. Conclusions: The influence and importance of the teaching style adopted by teachers is indicated, in addition to the effect of students’ psychological experiences on emotions and learning strategies.

Influence of Teaching Style on Physical Education Adolescents' Motivation and Health-Related Lifestyle

According to various WHO reports in 2018, a large number of adolescents worldwide are either overweight or obese. This situation is the result of not following a healthy and balanced diet, combined with a lack of practice of physical activity. In this sense, Physical Education classes could help to solve the problem. The present study seeks to analyze the relationship between the role of the teacher in relation to the structural dimensions of the PE teaching environment and the basic psychological needs and self-motivation of adolescents as determinants of their behaviors related to eating habits and the practice of physical activity. A total of 1127 secondary school adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 participated in this study. Questionnaires were used: Perceived Autonomy Support Scale, Psychologically Controlling Teaching Scale, Basic Psychological Needs in Physical Education, Frustration of Psychological Needs in PE context, Physical Activity Class Satisfaction Questionnaire, Perceived Locus of Causality Revised, and WHO's Global school-based student health survey. A structural equations model was elaborated to explain the causal relationships between the variables. The results showed that autonomy support positively predicted the three structural dimensions of PE classes, while, in contrast, they were negatively predicted by psychological control. The three structural dimensions positively predicted the satisfaction of psychological needs and negatively predicted the thwarting of psychological needs. Self-determined motivation was positively predicted by the satisfaction of psychological needs and negatively predicted by the thwarting of psychological needs. Finally, self-determined motivation positively predicted healthy eating habits and the practice of physical activity and negatively predicted unhealthy eating habits. Certainly, the results obtained in this study support the postulates of the self-determination theory, demonstrating the predictability of PE class context towards the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits, such as a proper diet and the regular practice of physical activity.

Examining Maladaptive Functioning in Physical Education: A Psychometric Analysis of the Psychological Need Thwarting Scale Among Spanish Secondary Students

This research aimed to adapt the Psychological Need Thwarting Scale for use in the Spanish physical education (PE) context and to examine its psychometric properties with secondary school students. Participants were 459 secondary school PE students (206 boys and 253 girls, M_age = 15.41, SD_age = 1.05). A confirmatory factor analysis supported an 11-item three-factor correlated model that remained invariant across gender and age. Internal consistency analysis showed adequate values for autonomy (α = .79, ρ = .80, average variance extracted [AVE] = .50), competence (α = .85, ρ = .86, AVE = .61), and relatedness (α = .86, ρ = .86, AVE = .68) need frustration. Temporal stability analysis displayed appropriate values for autonomy (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = .81), competence (ICC = .89), and relatedness (ICC = .78) need frustration. Structural equation modeling showed that, while psychological need satisfaction positively predicted autonomous motivation (β = .72, p < .001), psychological need frustration positively predicted controlled motivation (β = .43, p < .001) and amotivation (β = .48, p < .001). The adapted Psychological Need Thwarting Scale was shown to be a valid and reliable measure for assessing psychological need frustration in Spanish secondary school students.

Perceived Controlling Behaviors of Physical Education Teachers and Objectively Measured Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Adolescents

The facilitative role of perceived autonomy support from physical education (PE) teachers on adolescents' leisure-time physical activity (PA) has been supported. This study aimed to examine the mechanism by which perceived controlling behaviors from PE teachers relate to adolescents' objectively measured leisure-time PA. In a three-wave prospective study, a total of 159 students (64 boys) aged 11 to 19 years old (Mage = 14.94 years; SD = 2.11) completed measures of perceived controlling behavior, frustration of the basic psychological needs, and motivational regulations in PE. One week later, motivational regulations towards leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were assessed. Five weeks later, MVPA was measured using accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X) during seven consecutive days. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that perceived controlling behavior predicted students' frustration of basic psychological needs in PE. The competence need frustration in PE had a negative direct effect on objectively measured MVPA. A significant indirect effect supported the mediating role of competence frustration in PE in the relation between perceived controlling behavior from PE teachers and MVPA in adolescents. Findings suggest that future interventions striving to promote adolescents' PA engagement in their leisure-time should focus on decreasing controlling behaviors from teachers in PE that may manipulate the teacher-student relation.

Effects of a Web-Based Intervention for PE Teachers on Students' Perceptions of Teacher Behaviors, Psychological Needs, and Intrinsic Motivation

Interventions based on self-determination theory to help teachers support their students' autonomy have measured teachers' autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviors as unidimensional constructs. This study investigated whether a Web-Based Autonomy-Supportive Intervention Program (WB-ASIP) for physical education (PE) teachers would alter their students' perceptions of (a) the teachers' multidimensional autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviors, (b) their own psychological need satisfaction and frustration, and (c) perceived intrinsic motivation. We found that WB-ASIP significantly increased students' perceptions of all autonomy-supportive teacher behaviors and students' need satisfaction. At follow-up, we found that WB-ASIP led to a significant decrease in students' perception of teacher intimidation behaviors and students' autonomy frustration. These results suggest that a web-based intervention program to enhance PE teachers' autonomy-supportive behavior and minimize their controlling behavior was partially effective in positively changing their students' perceptions.

Toward a better assessment of perceived social influence: The relative role of significant others on young athletes

The purpose of this three-study paper was to develop and validate the Perceived Social Influence in Sport Scale-2 (PSISS-2) that aimed to resolve the limitations of PSISS-1 in assessing the relative social influence of significant others in youth sport. In Study 1, a pool of 60 items generated from revisiting a qualitative dataset about significant others of young athletes were examined by two expert panel reviews in terms of content validity, clarity, coverage, and age-appropriateness, leading to the development of 16 items of the PSISS-2. In Study 2, multi-group exploratory structural equation model for PSISS-2 was conducted among 904 young athletes, and the results supported a model comprising positive influence (ie, conditional and unconditional positive influence combined), punishment (ie, conditional negative influence), and dysfunction (ie, unconditional negative influence) as three factors. The goodness of fit of the three-factor model was acceptable and invariant across the coach-, father-, mother-, and teammates-versions of PSISS-2. In support of the criterion validity of PSISS-2, the three factors explained substantial variance of young athletes' perceived competence, effort, enjoyment, and trait anxiety in sport. Study 3 examined the relationship between PSISS-2 factors, psychological need support, and controlling behaviors in a subsample of 452 young athletes, and the findings supported the concurrent validity and discriminant validity of the scale. In conclusion, the data are supportive of PSISS-2. The three factors of the scale (ie, positive influence, punishment, and dysfunction) may form a new framework for understanding and comparing the relative role of significant others in youth sport.

Is Social Support a Cause or Consequence of Depression? A Longitudinal Study of Adolescents

A large body of literature has examined the relations between social support and depression. However, the exact nature and direction of these relations are not well understood. This study explored the relations between specific types of social support (peer support and teacher support) and depression. Adolescents (ages 11 to 17) for the first time (N = 2453) participated in a two-wave, 6-month longitudinal study. Structural equation modeling was used to test a social causation model (deficits in social support increase the likelihood of depression), interpersonal theories of depression (depression leads to social erosion), and a reciprocal influence model. Depression influenced peer support significantly and negatively. By contrast, the social causation model was not supported. These results held for males and females. Findings suggested that depression resulted in social support erosion. However, the effect was specific to perceived peer support but not to perceived teacher support.

Relations Between Student Procrastination and Teaching Styles: Autonomy-Supportive and Controlling

Procrastination is a complex problem that can be defined as delaying an intended course of action (despite anticipating adverse consequences). Even when some students have equivalent motivation and skill levels, they tend to procrastinate more frequently than others. Approaches that analyze whether contextual influences may prevent or promote dysregulation processes associated with procrastination are scarce. According to Self-Determination Theory, contextual influences can facilitate self-regulated motivation (e.g., autonomous pursuit of interests or personal goals), if teaching style is autonomy-supportive and guarantees the satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs for perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Contrariwise, school context can also impede the development of autonomous motivation if teachers frustrate the satisfaction of their students’ psychological needs by recurring to controlling teaching behaviors, such as controlling use of rewards, negative conditional regard, excessive personal control, or intimidation. The goal of the present study was to assess the relations between controlling and autonomy-supportive teaching behaviors, psychological needs satisfaction (of the needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness), and four distinct measures of procrastination: general procrastination, decisional procrastination, procrastination linked to task avoidance, and pure procrastination. Data based on public university undergraduate students (N = 672) shows that controlling teaching behaviors are associated negatively with psychological needs satisfaction and positively with procrastination. Contrariwise, autonomy-supportive teaching behaviors are positively associated with psychological needs satisfaction and negatively with procrastination. The data obtained is useful for suggesting new lines of research to study the link between contextual influences and the prevention of academic procrastination in view of Self-Determination Theory. Also, our results suggest new pedagogical approaches where teachers can create contextual conditions that help to prevent or reduce procrastinating tendencies.

Social psychological aspects of ACL injury prevention and rehabilitation: An integrated model for behavioral adherence

Managing rehabilitation for ACL injury is dependent on uptake of, and compliance with, medical and safety recommendations. In this paper, we propose a multi-theory model that integrates self-determination theory and the theory of planned behavior to identify the motivational determinants ACL injury prevention and management behaviors and the processes involved.

Autonomy in face of school authority, bullying and school performance

Abstract In order to verify the relationship between autonomy in face of authority, bullying and academic performance, we developed three scales that were applied to 274 ninth-graders from public schools in São Paulo, of which 122 were girls with a mean age of 14.1 years (SD = 0.8). It was found that the more students defended punishment for disobedience and respect for authority, the more frequently they were appointed as the best in class and vice versa; these students also considered being victims of violence, which indicates that even students with good performance do not necessarily develop autonomy in face of authority, as they may be following rules without thinking about them. Students who suffer violence tend not to be independent from authority. Further research including students from private schools could corroborate the results of this study.