Motivation and Motivational climate as predictors of perceived importance of physical education in Spain

The aim of this research was to find out how self-determined motivation and perceived motivational climate predict the importance and usefulness of Physical Education (PE). The sample consisted of 2002 Spanish students aged between 12 and 19 years. A questionnaire was used composed of the ‘Sports Motivation Scale’ (SMS), the ‘Learning and Performance Orientations in Physical Education Classes Questionnaire’ (LAPOPECQ) and the ‘Importance of Physical Education’ (IPE). Descriptive statistical analysis, MANOVA and multiple regression analysis were applied. The results of this study show the importance of intrinsic motivation for both boys and girls as a predictor of the importance and usefulness of PE for the participants, although girls were affected by a greater number of variables. Keywords: Physical Education; Importance; Self-determined motivation; Motivational climate. South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, 2013, 35(2): 1-1