Andre Koka

Intention to be Physically Active after School Graduation and Its Relationship to Three Types of Intrinsic Motivation

In this article the relationships between three different types of intrinsic motivation and students’ intention to be physically active after school graduation were examined. The participants were 400 school children aged 14–18 years. The modified version of SMS was used to measure the three different types of intrinsic motivation. The intention scale as a measurement of physical education outcome to be physically active was specially designed for this study. The data were analysed by means of structural equation modelling. The goodness of fit indexes of confirmatory factor model for three types of intrinsic motivation provided the evidence of existing different dimensions of intrinsic motivation among students in the physical education setting. The results of this study indicated that the intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation was the strongest predictor of intention to be physical active after school graduation, beyond the intrinsic motivation to accomplish.

How students’ perceptions of teachers’ autonomy-supportive behaviours affect physical activity behaviour: An application of the trans-contextual model.

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess a modified version of the trans-contextual model (Hagger, Chatzisarantis, Culverhouse, & Biddle, 2003) based on self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) and the theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1985). The modified version included two additional components: use of learning strategies and positive general feedback. It was hypothesized that students’ perceptions of how they use learning strategies taught by their physical education (PE) teachers and perceived positive general feedback would influence students’ intrinsic motivation, intentions, and physical activity behaviour in a leisure-time context through intrinsic motivation in PE. A structural equation model supported the hypotheses and demonstrated that the use of learning strategies and perceived positive general feedback in PE indirectly influenced intrinsic motivation in leisure time through the effect of intrinsic motivation in PE. There was a direct effect of perceived positive general feedback on physical activity behaviour as well as an indirect effect through the motivational sequence.

Predicting alcohol consumption and binge drinking in company employees: An application of planned behaviour and self-determination theories

OBJECTIVES This study tested an integrated model of the psychosocial determinants of alcohol-related behaviour among company employees from four nations. A motivational sequence was proposed in which motivational orientations from self-determination theory influenced intentions to consume alcohol within guideline limits and alcohol-related behaviour via the mediation of the theory of planned behaviour variables of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control (PBC). DESIGN A three-wave prospective design using self-reported psychological and behavioural measures. METHODS Company employees (N= 486, males = 225, females = 261; M age = 30.41, SD= 8.31) from four nations (Estonia, Finland, Sweden, and UK) completed measures of autonomous and controlled motivation from self-determination theory, attitudes, subjective norms, PBC, intentions from the theory of planned behaviour, and self-reported measures of past alcohol consumption and binge-drinking occasions at the first time point (time 1). Follow-up psychological and behavioural measures were taken one month later (time 2) and follow-up behavioural measures taken a further 2 months later (time 3). RESULTS Path analyses supported the motivational sequence with identified regulation (time 1), predicting intentions (time 1), and alcohol units consumed (time 2). The effects were indirect via the mediation of attitudes and PBC (time 1). A similar pattern of effects was found for the effect of time 2 psychological variables on time 3 units of alcohol consumed. There was little support for the effects of the psychological variables on binge-drinking behaviour. CONCLUSIONS Findings provide new information on the psychosocial determinants of alcohol behaviour in company employees and the processes involved. Results may provide impetus for the development of interventions to reduce alcohol consumption.

Perceptions of teachers’ positive feedback and perceived threat to sense of self in physical education: a longitudinal study:

This study examined the direction of causal flow between perceived positive general teacher feedback and perceived threat to sense of self in physical education (PE). The stability effect and stationarity of the relationship between these variables over the two-year period was tested. Students (N = 302) were administered questionnaire during class time in Grades 6 and 8 and two years later in Grades 8 and 10. The perceived threat to sense of self subscale from the Physical Education Learning Environment Scale (PELES), and perceived positive general feedback subscale from the Perceived Teacher’s Feedback (PTF) questionnaire were used. Results using structural equation modelling showed the high stability of perceived threat and low stability of perceived teacher feedback in PE over the two-year period, and suggest that low level of perceived threat is a significant determinant of high level of perceived positive teacher feedback. In addition, the model showed that relationship between perceived threat and perceived positive feedback within time points differed significantly over time.

Health-related quality of life of Estonian adolescents: reliability and validity of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales in Estonia.

Aim:  The main aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0) Generic Core Scales among Estonian adolescents. Gender differences in health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) were also investigated.

A brief intervention to increase physical activity behavior among adolescents using mental simulations and action planning

Abstract This study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief integrated theory-based intervention to increase physical activity (PA) among adolescents over a three-month follow-up period. A 2 (mental simulation: present vs. absent) × 2 (action planning: present vs. absent) × 4 (time: baseline vs. one-month vs. two-month vs. three-month follow-up) mixed-model randomized controlled design was adopted. Adolescents aged 14–15 years (N = 267) completed baseline psychological measures and self-reported PA followed by the relevant intervention manipulation, if appropriate, with follow-up measures collected one, two, and three months later. Results revealed no significant effects for the mental simulation and action planning strategies nor the interaction of the two strategies. However, among participants with low levels of baseline PA, participants in both mental simulation alone and action planning alone groups reported significantly higher levels of PA at one-month follow up than other groups, suggesting that individual intervention components may be effective in low-active adolescents.

Measuring the perception of the teachers’ autonomy-supportive behavior in physical education: Development and initial validation of a multi-dimensional instrument

ABSTRACT This research aimed to develop and validate an instrument to assess the students’ perceptions of the teachers’ autonomy-supportive behavior by the multi-dimensional scale (Multi-Dimensional Perceived Autonomy Support Scale for Physical Education). The participants were 1,476 students aged 12- to 15-years-old. In Study 1, a pool of 37 items was generated based on past literature and feedback from students and academic experts. In Study 2, the factorial structure of the questionnaire was tested using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The confirmatory factor analysis yielded a final 15-item three-factor solution of the Multi-Dimensional Perceived Autonomy Support Scale for Physical Education, covering organizational, procedural, and cognitive dimensions of perceived autonomy support. In Study 3, the incremental validity of the Multi-Dimensional Perceived Autonomy Support Scale for Physical Education was supported. The results provided initial evidence for the reliability and validity of the Multi-Dimensional Perceived Autonomy Support Scale for Physical Education, as well as its invariance across gender and age. Suggestions for the use of the scale and further research are discussed.

Effectiveness of a brief intervention using process-based mental simulations in promoting muscular strength in physical education

This study examined the effectiveness of a brief theory-based intervention on muscular strength among adolescents in a physical education setting. The intervention adopted a process-based mental simulation technique. The self-reported frequency of practising for and actual levels of abdominal muscular strength/endurance as one component of health-related physical fitness was targeted. Adolescents aged 16–19 years (n = 105) from nine classes were cluster-randomly assigned to experimental, mere-measurement control, and no-measurement control groups. All participants performed the one-minute sit-up test at baseline and four weeks later to measure their abdominal muscular strength/endurance. In the middle of the four-week period, participants allocated to the experimental group mentally simulated the process (i.e. practising) for doing better on the follow-up test relative to the baseline. Results revealed a significant effect of the process mental simulation on test performance at follow-up, but no effect on self-reported frequency of practising for the follow-up test. There was no evidence for the mediation of the effect of process mental simulation on test performance by planning, motivation, or anxiety variables. Results supported the effectiveness of the process mental simulation intervention in enhancing muscular strength among adolescents in a physical education setting, but not in promoting frequency of practise. The latter may be due to the process mental simulation not increasing the frequency but rather the quality of practising. This knowledge could help physical education teachers to facilitate adolescents’ endeavours in improving their muscular strength as one component of health-related physical fitness.