How Need-Thwarting Teaching Styles Are Combined for Physical Education Teachers
Differences in Students’ Motivational Outcomes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22043530 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Javier García-Cazorla (0000-0001-8245-349X, Universidad de Valladolid, corresponding author), Carlos Mayo-Rota (0000-0002-4869-6698, Universidad de Zaragoza), Zilia Villafaña-Samper (0009-0003-6879-8813, Universidad de Zaragoza), Diego Esteban-Torres (0009-0005-6811-7218, Universidad de Zaragoza), Luis García-González (0000-0001-8115-0649, Universidad de Zaragoza), Ángel Abós (0000-0002-1543-5109, Universidad de Zaragoza) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 108 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-12 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci16010108 |
| OpenAlex | W7122576131 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 43 |
Grounded in the circumplex model, this study examined how need-thwarting teaching styles, control and chaos, are combined by Physical Education teachers (as perceived by students) and how these combinations differ in relation to students’ basic psychological needs and motivational outcomes within (experiences and perceived learning) and outside (intention to be physically active) the Physical Education context. A total of 431 Spanish secondary school students (Mage = 14.92; 53% girls) participated. Latent profile analysis identified three profiles: (1) high control—moderate chaos (35%), (2) moderate control—high chaos (9%), and (3) high demanding—low chaos (56%). Mean comparisons revealed that students in the “high demanding—low chaos” profile reported the most adaptive outcomes, including greater autonomy and competence satisfaction, more positive Physical Education experiences, higher perceived learning, and stronger intentions to be physically active. Conversely, the “moderate control—high chaos” profile was linked to the most maladaptive outcomes, characterized by greater basic psychological needs frustration and poorer experiences, learning, and physical activity intentions. The “high control—moderate chaos” profile yielded intermediate results. Overall, findings indicate that chaotic teaching, especially in its abandoning form, was associated with the worst quality of students’ motivation, while a demanding approach may be comparatively less harmful but still detrimental. Teacher training should therefore reduce controlling and chaotic practices and foster autonomy support and structure
Autonomy · Higher education · Physical education · Self-determination theory · Self-efficacy · Education, Achievement, and Giftedness · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Physical Education and Pedagogy
Do perceived autonomy-supportive and controlling teaching relate to physical education students' motivational experiences through unique pathways? Distinguishing between the bright and dark side of motivation
Multiple-Group Analysis of Similarity in Latent Profile Solutions
Basic psychological need theory
Beware of your teaching style
Different combinations of perceived autonomy support and control
Why students become more engaged or more disengaged during the semester
On psychological growth and vulnerability
The effect of estimation method and sample size in multilevel structural equation modeling
Culture and Organizations
Patterns of Competence and Adjustment among Adolescents from Authoritative, Authoritarian, Indulgent, and Neglectful Families
Classical Latent Profile Analysis of Academic Self-Concept Dimensions
Why Teachers Adopt a Controlling Motivating Style Toward Students and How They Can Become More Autonomy Supportive
Toward an integrative and fine-grained insight in motivating and demotivating teaching styles
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective
Basic psychological need satisfaction, need frustration, and need strength across four cultures
Students’ motivational experiences across profiles of perceived need-supportive and need-thwarting teaching behaviors in physical education
Chaotic (laissez-faire) teaching
Self-determination theory applied to physical education
The destructiveness of laissez-faire leadership behavior
Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being
Motivating and demotivating teaching styles
What factors are associated with physical education teachers’ (de)motivating teaching style? A circumplex approach
Students’ perceptions of physical education teachers’ (de)motivating styles via the circumplex approach
See the forest by looking at the trees
Learning how to become an autonomy-supportive teacher begins with perspective taking
Is high teacher directiveness always negative? Associations with students’ motivational outcomes in physical education
Exploring (de-)motivating teaching profiles from a fine-grained directiveness approach
Examining school boards’ chaotic leadership style in relation to teachers' job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion
St Century Education
Latent Class Analysis
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |