Haralambos Tsorbatzoudis

Extending the trans-contextual model in physical education and leisure-time contexts: Examining the role of basic psychological need satisfaction

BACKGROUND The trans-contextual model (TCM) is an integrated model of motivation that aims to explain the processes by which agentic support for autonomous motivation in physical education promotes autonomous motivation and physical activity in a leisure-time context. It is proposed that perceived support for autonomous motivation in physical education is related to autonomous motivation in physical education and leisure-time contexts. Furthermore, relations between autonomous motivation and the immediate antecedents of intentions to engage in physical activity behaviour and actual behaviour are hypothesized. AIMS The purpose of the present study was to incorporate the constructs of basic psychological need satisfaction in the TCM to provide a more comprehensive explanation of motivation and demonstrate the robustness of the findings of previous tests of the model that have not incorporated these constructs. SAMPLE Students (N=274) from Greek secondary schools. METHOD Participants completed self-report measures of perceived autonomy support, autonomous motivation, and basic psychological need satisfaction in physical education. Follow-up measures of these variables were taken in a leisure-time context along with measures of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control (PBC), and intentions from the theory of planned behaviour 1 week later. Self-reported physical activity behaviour was measured 4 weeks later. RESULTS Results supported TCM hypotheses. Basic psychological need satisfaction variables uniquely predicted autonomous motivation in physical education and leisure time as well as the antecedents of intention, namely, attitudes, and PBC. The basic psychological need satisfaction variables also mediated the effects of perceived autonomy support on autonomous motivation in physical education. CONCLUSIONS Findings support the TCM and provide further information of the mechanisms in the model and integrated theories of motivation in physical education and leisure time.

The assessment of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and amotivation: Validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Academic Motivation Scale

Self‐determination theory provides an integrated conception of school‐ and academic motivation. The theory proposes a continuum comprising three types of motivation: intrinsic motivation (IM), extrinsic motivation (EM), and amotivation (AM), characterised by seven dimensions (IM = to know, to accomplish and to experience stimulation, EM = external regulation, introjection and identification, and Amotivation). The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) with Greek high school students. Two studies were conducted to examine the factorial, construct, concurrent and predictive validity of the scale along with its reliability properties. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the proposed seven‐factor structure. The scale showed satisfactory levels of internal consistency and temporal stability. Additionally, indices of the scale’s construct, concurrent, and predictive validity were in the desired direction. These findings support the use of the Greek version of the AMS for the assessment of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation.

Do Left-Handed Competitors Have an Innate Superiority in Sports?:

This study assessed handedness distributions among (a) sporting competitors (n = 1,112) and nonsporting university students (n = 1,112), (b) sporting competitors engaging in interactive (n = 576) and in noninteractive sports (n = 536), and (c) sporting competitors engaging in direct interactive (n = 219) and indirect interactive (n = 357) sports. Chi-squared showed that there were statistically significant differences in proportions of left-handed persons in (a) sporting competitors and nonsporting university students, (b) sporting competitors engaging in interactive and noninteractive sports, (c) sporting competitors engaging in interactive sports and nonsporting university students, and (d) sporting competitors engaging in direct interactive and indirect interactive sports. It appears that left-handers are more common among those who engage in competitive manual activities. This superiority of the left-handers may be fully explained by a consideration of tactical or strategic factors associated with handedness during sporting interactions. The results with important implications for the measurement and evaluation of handedness are discussed in the light of the current findings on laterality.

Structural validation and cross-cultural robustness of the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire

Cyberbullying is a dynamic relationship between the aggressor and the victim.Establishing the prevalence of cyberbullying is difficult due to the instruments used.The instrument validated integrates the traditional bullying characteristics.Differences in prevalence of cyberbullying among countries using a single instrument. During the last decade, cyberbullying has become an increasing concern which has been addressed by diverse theoretical and methodological approaches. As a result there is a debate about its nature and rigorously validated assessment instruments have not yet been validated. In this context, in the present study an instrument composed of 22 items representing the different types of behaviours and actions that define cyberbullying has been structurally validated and its cross-cultural robustness has been calculated for the two main dimensions: cyber-victimization and cyber-aggression. To this end, 5679 secondary school students from six European countries (Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland, United Kingdom, and Greece) were surveyed through this self-report questionnaire which was designed based on previously existing instruments and the most relevant conceptual elements. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted and the global internal consistency was computed for the instrument and its two dimensions. Identical factor structures were found across all of the six subsamples. The results contribute to existing research by providing an instrument, the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire, which has been structurally validated in a wide sample from six different countries and that is useful to evaluate psycho-educative interventions against cyberbullying.

A process model of cyberbullying in adolescence

Cyberbullying is an emerging form of aggression that utilizes information and communication technologies (ICTs). While cyberbullying incidents attract considerable attention, research on the causes and psychosocial predictors of cyberbullying is still limited. The present study used an integrated theoretical model incorporating empathy, moral disengagement, and social cognitions related to cyberbullying. Structured questionnaires were administered to 355 randomly selected adolescents (M=14.7, SD=1.20). Linear regression analysis showed that social norms, prototype similarity and situational self-efficacy directly predicted cyberbullying expectations. Multiple mediation modelling indicated that normative influences mediated the effects of moral disengagement and affective empathy on cyberbullying expectations. These findings provide valuable information regarding the effect of both distal and proximal risk factors for cyberbullying in adolescence, highlight the relationship between normative processes and moral self-regulation, and set the basis for related educational and preventive interventions.

A Comparison of Classification Approaches for Cyberbullying and Traditional Bullying Using Data from Six European Countries.

In recently published studies on cyberbullying, students are frequently categorized into distinct (cyber)bully and (cyber)victim clusters based on theoretical assumptions and arbitrary cut-off scores adapted from traditional bullying research. The present study identified involvement classes empirically using latent class analysis (LCA), to compare the classification of cyber- and traditional bullying and to compare LCA and the conventional approach. Participants were 6,260 students (M = 14.8 years, SD = 1.6; 49.1% male) from six European countries. LCA resulted in three classes for cyberbullying and four classes for traditional bullying. Cyber- and traditional bullying differed from each other, as did LCA and the conventional approach. Country, age, and gender differences were found. Implications for the field of traditional and cyberbullying research are discussed.

THE SPORT MOTIVATION SCALE FOR CHILDREN: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES ','

This study was done to test the psychometric properties of the modified version of the Sport Motivation Scale adapted for children in physical education. Participants were elementary school students (N = 452, Mage = 13.9 ± 1.04) who responded to the Sport Motivation Scale for Children. The scale assesses three types of motivation at the contextual level, namely, Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, and Amotivation. Results supported the construct validity (CFI = .95), and internal consistency of the scale (Cronbach α>.65). Correlations indicated Sport Motivation Scale for Children simplex pattern exhibiting higher correlations among adjacent subscales than subscales farther apart. The concurrent validity, examined through correlations with scores on the Physical Self-description Questionnaire was satisfactory. Sex differences were examined to assess the discriminant validity. Boys were more intrinsically motivated than girls. Overall, the scale seems a useful one for assessment of motivation in physical education.

Effects of a motivational climate intervention on state anxiety, self-efficacy, and skill development in physical education

Abstract The objective of the present study was to test the effects of TARGET premises on state anxiety, self-efficacy, and sport skill development. A total of 317 high school students with a mean age of 13.9 years (s=0.76) were assigned either to an intervention group or a control group. The triple jump and the Baryshnikov shot put techniques were taught to both groups in 10 teaching units. In the intervention group the teachers employed the TARGET structures, while in the control group the command style was used. Students completed pre- and post-intervention measures of state anxiety and self-efficacy just before execution of the two techniques. Motor skill development was evaluated by both absolute performance (in centimetres) and technical execution of the tasks. The results of repeated-measures analyses of variance indicated that the intervention group reported higher triple jump self-efficacy and better technical execution of the shot put than the control group. No intervention effects were observed for the anxiety responses. Our findings provide partial evidence for positive effects of a task-involving motivational climate on sport skill development and performance-related states.

Effectiveness of Taping and Bracing in Balance

Taping and bracing are thought to be effective methods in restricting the ankles joint motion and assisting prevention of injuries. Research evidence suggests that taping and bracing enhance both the mechanical support and the proprioception of the ankle However, there is little research concerning the influence of taping and bracing on sport performance. Research has mainly examined tasks with demands on the frontal plane. Therefore, the present study examined the effect of taping and bracing on the performance of a task with demands on the frontal plane. A sample of 30 physical education students (Mage =21.9 yr.) performed a balance task requiring estimation of balance and both right and left deviations. The subjects performed the balance task on four different conditions, with tape, with Swede-O (a lace-up, boot style stabilizer), with Aircast (an inflatable cast), and without any stabilizer. There were no significant differences among the conditions. These findings indicate that taping and bracing do not have negative effects on balance in the frontal plane. This study created concerns regarding the appropriate stabilizer for different tasks, bilateral coordination after the application of a stabilizer, and the influence of psychological factors on prevention of injury.

Beliefs about the causes of success in sports and susceptibility for doping use in adolescent athletes

Abstract The present study set out to assess the impact of attributional beliefs about success on the susceptibility for doping use in adolescent athletes. The sample consisted of 309 adolescent athletes participating in both team and individual sports. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires including Beliefs about the Causes of Success in Sport Questionnaire (BACSSQ), current and past doping use, and measures of attitudes, norms, situational temptation and social desirability. Variance reduction rate analysis revealed that social desirability did not act as a confounder in the relationship between doping susceptibility and its predictors. With regard to beliefs about the causes of success dimensions, only deception emerged as a significant predictor of doping use susceptibility over and above the effects of well-established social–cognitive predictors of doping intentions and use. These findings imply that beliefs about the causes of success in youth sports may comprise another dimension of risk factors for doping susceptibility and use.