José Antonio Cecchini Estrada

2×2 Dominant achievement goal profiles in high-level swimmers

Abstract The goal of this study was to assess achievement goal dominance, self-determined situational motivation and competence in high-level swimmers before and after three training sessions set at different working intensities (medium, sub-maximal and maximal). Nineteen athletes (males, n=9, 18.00±2.32 years; females, n=10, 16.30±2.01 years, range = 14–18) agreed to participate. They completed a questionnaire that included the Dominant Achievement Goal assessment instrument, the 2×2 Achievement Goals Questionnaire for Sport (AGQ-S), The Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS) and the Competence subscale of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise questionnaire (BPNES). Results indicated that participants overwhelmingly showed mastery-approach achievement goal dominance, and it remained stable at the conclusion of the different training sessions under all intensity levels. This profile was positively correlated to self-determined situational motivation and competence. However, swimmers feelings of competence increased only after the medium intensity level training session. After the completion of the maximal intensity training session, swimmers self-determined motivation was significantly lower compared to the other two training sessions, which could be caused by a temporary period of burnout. Results indicated that high-level swimmers had a distinct mastery-approach dominant achievement goal profile that was not affected by the workload of the different training sessions. They also showed high levels of self-determined situational motivation and competence. However, heavy workloads should be controlled because they can cause transitory burnout.

Papel importante del alumnado, necesidades psicológicas básicas, regulaciones motivacionales y autoconcepto físico en educación física

The Self-Determination Theory was used to examine possible relationships among children’s important role, basic needs and motivational regulations. A sample of 246 students, ages ranged from 12-17 years, completed a questionnaire that included the important role subscale of the PMCSQ, the physical self-concept subscale of the DF-AF5, the BPNES, and the PLOC. The structural equation model revealed that the importantrole positively predicted the basic needs, which positively predicted thexa0 more self-determined regulations and negatively the less self-determined ones. Intrinsic motivation and introjected regulation positively predicted physical self-concept too. Results suggest that if teachers can improve students’ perceptions of their important role in class, their basic needs and motivations could be satisfied regardless their skill level. They could also increase their physical self-concept

A Cluster Analysis on Students’ Perceived Motivational Climate. Implications on Psycho-Social Variables

The aim of this study was to examine how students perceptions of the class climate influence their basic psychological needs, motivational regulations, social goals and outcomes such as boredom, enjoyment, effort, and pressure/tension. 507 (267 males, 240 females) secondary education students agreed to participate. They completed a questionnaire that included the Spanish validated versions of Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2), Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise (BPNES), Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC), Social Goal Scale-Physical Education (SGS-PE), and several subscales of the IMI. A hierarchical cluster analysis uncovered four independent class climate profiles that were confirmed by a K-Means cluster analysis: high ego, low ego-task, high ego-medium task, and high task. Several MANOVAs were performed using these clusters as independent variables and the different outcomes as dependent variables (p < .01). Results linked high mastery class climates to positive consequences such as higher students autonomy, competence, relatedness, intrinsic motivation, effort, enjoyment, responsibility and relationship, as well as low levels of amotivation, boredom and pressure/tension. Students perceptions of a performance class climate made the positive scores decrease significantly. Cluster 3 revealed that a mastery oriented class structure undermines the negative behavioral and psychological effects of a performance class climate. This finding supports the buffering hypothesis of the achievement goal theory.

La caída de la motivación autodeterminada en jóvenes escolares

The purpose of this study is to analyze the progressive decommitment of young kids towards physical activity from the Self Determination Theory perspective(Deci & Ryan, 1985, 1991). The sample was formed by 705 students, ages 10 through 14 (329 were elementary students, and 376 were junior high students, with an average age of 12.7). Three MANOVA analysis were conducted 2 (gender) X 2 (educative cycles), that showed that the elementary education students showed a more adaptive than secondary education. The Self Determination Theory predicts that these results are the consequence of social factors. Therefor this investigation points out key factors that should be taken into account in the physical education class such as collaborative learning, a classroom environment directed towards self-improvement, and student participation to make decisions in the classroom.

Validación del Cuestionario de metas de logro 2 × 2 en Educación Física

The goal of this article is to validate the 2×2 Achievement Goal Questionnaire in Physical Education (2×2 AGPEQ) from Wang et al. (2007). There is another version of this questionnaire validated by Moreno et al. (2008), but these authors used the Guan, Xiang, McBride and Bruene (2006) version, and different items have been detected between the two original instruments. The questionnaire presented in this article introduces two innovations: a review of the content validity of the avoidance-performance subscale (its interpersonal character has been specified consistent with the theoretical framework), and a 5-point likert scale (it simplifies subjects’ response and it fits better the different references in the Spanish context). 269 adolescent students participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factor structure of the 2×2 goal achievement framework in the physical education context. Internal reliability and discriminant validity were appropriate. The questionnaire showed high concurrent validity regarding several variables associated to the achievement goals such as the different motivational regulations. This instrument can be of great help for the study of 2×2 goal motivation, because it makes more visible the differences among constructs.

Assessment of dispositional and contextual variables in educational settings: IEPA and AYES scales

BACKGROUNDnDespite the fact that there are a few instruments designed to measure dispositional and contextual variables in educational contexts, the goal of this study is to elaborate and validate two questionnaires to measure learning interest, effort and progression as dispositional (IEPA) and contextual (AYEs) variables in secondary education students.nnnMETHODnAn initial version of both scales was developed. They were reviewed by a panel of experts and tested on two pilot studies. The final versions were administered to the described sample and their psychometric properties were tested. Factor analyses (exploratory and confirmatory) were conducted on three sets of data: Mathematics (n = 290), Spanish Language and Literature (n = 283), and Physical Education (n = 289).nnnRESULTSnBoth final scales had three dimensions with four items in each dimension. All standardized loads and critical values of t were overwhelmingly positive, while alpha coefficients ranged from .85 to .91. Both scales showed adequate construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity and concurrent validity.nnnCONCLUSIONSnResults showed that these new scales have adequate psychometric properties, allowing a valid and reliable assessment.