Self-determined motivation and students' physical activity during structured physical education lessons and free choice periods.
OBJECTIVE
Various organizations have suggested that physical education (PE) should play a central role in increasing adolescents' physical activity (PA) levels. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between students' self-determined motivation and their PA behavior during a structured PE lesson led by their teacher and a free-choice period in which they were not required to be active.


METHODS
528 Hong Kong students (mean age=15.78 years) participated in this study in April and May 2007. Situational Motivation Scale scores were used to form high and low self-determined motivation groups. Students wore a pedometer during a 20-minute structured basketball lesson and a 20-minute free choice period, during which they did not receive instruction.


RESULTS
ANOVA revealed that self-determined motivation and PE class environments which provided students opportunities to make choices were related to greater PA. Furthermore, the difference in PA between the high and low self-determined groups was greater in the free-choice condition than the structured lesson, suggesting that self-determined motivation is especially important when students are not supervised.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings indicated that promoting self-determined motivation may be an effective means of ensuring that PE programs are able to increase PA levels, foster self-initiated PA behaviors, and enhance adolescents' health.
Lonsdale
Chris
C
School of Physiotherapy and Performance Science, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Sabiston
Catherine M
CM
Raedeke
Thomas D
TD
Ha
Amy S C
AS
Sum
Raymond K W
RK
D000293:Adolescent; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009043:Motor Activity; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013334:Students