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Public school physical educators have the opportunity to help students understand the importance of engaging in regular physical activity in order to combat America's obesity problem. However, students are often unmotivated to participate in their physical education classes. Providing students with an autonomy supportive environment increases intrinsic motivation. Self-determination theory states that higher levels of intrinsic motivation should lead to an increase in behavior, or higher activity levels in a physical education class. This study examined (a) the effects of increased autonomy on self-determination, and (b) the effects of increased autonomy on physical activity levels. Seventh and eighth grade girls (n = 122) in four classes participated in two fitness units (one allowing choice of activities, the other no choice). The 14-item abridged Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS) was administered pre and post each unit. Pedometers were used to measure step counts during both units. Results of the SIMS data showed there was a significant difference in motivation between the trials for all students, and between the groups (pre and post) during the second unit. There was no significant difference in step counts for all students between Unit 1 and Unit 2, and no difference between groups. The results revealed that increased autonomy in activity selection increases student self-determination, and therefore, should be implemented into the physical education curriculum. To truly determine the relationship between increased autonomy and activity levels, students need to be in an environment where they can be responsible for their own behavior, and where they can choose how much effort they are willing to put into the activities they have chosen.

The purpose of this study was to examine the motivation of individuals to use Truly Accomplished (TA) as a fitness intervention, with or without a social support component. All participants utilized the TA Software as a fitness intervention and received weekly feedback on their progress. Thirty participants were randomly assigned to either participate in the regular TA process (n=16) or a modified TA process (n=14) with the addition of a social support component in the form of a social media group. Participants in the modified condition posted weekly to a Facebook group page about successes and obstacles they faced and gave feedback to their peers. It was hypothesized that participants, regardless of condition, would show fitness gains in the 6-week study. Also, with the added social support component to TA, participants were expected to have higher levels of self-determination in relation to the three psychological needs (i.e. autonomy, relatedness, and competence) and higher levels of perceived social support. A between-subjects deign was used to measure overall effectiveness, changes in fitness performance (plank, push-ups, wall-sit, step-test) and body composition (BMI, percent body fat), perceived social support, levels of psychological needs satisfaction as it relates to the three basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and satisfaction with TA. No significant differences were found between conditions for satisfaction with TA, levels of perceived social support, or levels of psychological needs satisfaction post-intervention. However, a significant increase was found regardless of condition in terms of autonomy and guidance. A significant increase was shown in both the plank and modified push-up post-intervention measure, regardless of condition. Finally, the condition with the added social support had a significantly higher overall effectiveness gain than the condition with no added social support. The practical and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.

Studien har utförts på en gymnasiesärskolas individuella program. Studiens syfte är att undersöka vilka uppfattningar pedagoger och elevassistenter har om elevernas förutsättningar att utveckla sin initiativförmåga. Följande problemformuleringar har använts, Vilka faktorer inkluderar pedagogerna och elevassistenterna på en gymnasiesärskolas individuella program i begreppet initiativförmåga och i förhållande till programmets elever? Vilka faktorer anser pedagogerna och elevassistenterna påverkar elevernas förutsättningar för att utveckla sin initiativförmåga och vilka konsekvenser får dessa faktorer för mötet mellan elev och skola? Studien utgår från forskning om samspel, delaktighet och Self-determination. Undersökningsmetoder som har använts är observation och intervju. Inledningsvis observerades två elever i två olika klasser under en hel arbetsdag, detta för att studera interaktionsmönster och de förutsättningar som råder i verksamheten för eleverna att kunna utveckla och ta egna initiativ. Resultaten från observationerna användes sedan i intervjuerna. Sammanlagt intervjuades 3 pedagoger och 10 elevassistenter, där elevassistenterna intervjuades i tre fokusgruppsintervjuer. Resultatet har tolkats i förhållande till det kommunikativa relationella perspektivet (KoRP) och det sociokulturella perspektivet. Resultatet från observationerna visade på ett styrande interaktionsmönster där pedagogen tog upp stora delar av det verbala utrymmet. Observationerna visade även att vissa elever behövde någon typ av ”startsignal” för att börja agera. Resultatet från intervjuerna kategoriserades utifrån bemötande, förutsättningar, organisation och pedagogiskt upplägg. Personalen ansåg att den enskilt viktigaste faktorn för att eleverna skall utveckla sin initiativförmåga är personalens förhållningssätt och bemötande av eleven. I intervjuerna togs även upp faktorer som att ”backa” som personal och släppa fram eleven, där eleven så självständigt som möjligt skall få testa sig fram. Att eleven får använda sina egna erfarenheter och sitt eget intellekt för att lösa problem. Men det fanns även en insikt hos personalen att det önskvärda agerandet inte alltid avspeglades i praktiken.

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This study explored the efficacy of using a virtual college campus to teach self-determination skills to middle school students with learning disabilities. Teaching self-determination skills is considered best practice for students with disabilities as they transition into adulthood. Three measures, a self-determination knowledge measurement scale, a behavior rubric, and 15 multiple choice questions measured self-determination knowledge and skill application ability with 71 middle school students with learning disabilities. The measures were used to determine whether the students who learned about self-determination skills in the virtual college setting during one training session displayed more knowledge and application of these skills than students who learned about and applied these skills in the natural setting. Empirical data revealed that overall, students made significant gains in their capacity to be self-determined in both natural and virtual settings. Students who participated in self-determination skills training in the virtual college setting displayed significantly more self-determination skills knowledge than the two control groups. Anecdotal evidence suggested that the students who learned in the virtual learning environment were also able to generalize these skills to both home and school settings after only one training session. Recommendations were made for future studies utilizing virtual learning environments to teach students with disabilities self-determination skills and increasing the use of digital media in teacher preparation programs.

Volunteering has been demonstrated to increase various outcomes of health and well-being. However, it has not been utilized as a therapeutic tool for transitional aged youth (TAY), who demonstrate disparate outcomes in various areas of health and well-being. The author hypothesizes that engaging in volunteering with application of the “8 C’s” framework will lead to improved well-being and empowerment. The author designed We Rise by Lifting Others (WRBLO), a nine-week program to engage TAY in volunteering while incorporating opportunities to experience the “8 C’s”: Control, Choice, Confidence, feeling Capable, Connection, Community, being Cared for by others, and Caring for others. In addition to the “8 C’s”, key components of WRBLO include participating in a weekly volunteer project, virtual group meetings, peer and mentor support from others with lived experience in the foster care system, and opportunities for skill building. This innovative program aims to increase well-being and empowerment outcomes for TAY and provide evidence that volunteering can be an effective tool for marginalized communities.

Motivation and goal-setting are important concepts in athletics and sport and exercise psychology. However, little research has compared motivation and goal-setting by gender. The self-determination theory was used and the purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference between male and female athletes when looking at amotivation, external regulation, identified regulation, intrinsic motivation, and goal-setting. One hundred and six student-athletes (fifty one males and fifty five females) from a Division I college in Virginia participated in the study. These student-athletes compete in either cross country (n= 7), track (n = 16), field (n= 16), track and cross country (n= 8), track and field (n= 2), track, field and cross country (n= 2), swimming (n= 47), or diving (n= 8). The student-athletes completed two instruments; the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS) and a goal-setting questionnaire. The results revealed that there was a significant difference between gender and question number two of the Situational Motivation Scale (“because I’m doing it for my own good.”) There was no significant difference when comparing gender to amotivation, external regulation, identified regulation, and intrinsic motivation. There was no significant finding between gender and the use of goal-setting. Lastly, a significant difference was found on number twelve of the goal-setting questionnaire (“I believe setting goals helps improve my performance”) based on year in college. In conclusion, there were no significant differences found between male and female athletes when looking at amotivation, external regulation, and intrinsic motivation. Significance was found on one identified regulation question. Females reported that they are participating in the sport –for their own good– more than males. There were no significant differences found between male and female athletes when looking at goal-setting. / Ph. D.

During the COVID-19 pandemic many researchers noted changes in exercise, physical activity, and sports behaviors. The current study attempts to identify aspects of motivation for physical activity, exercise, and sport for students in two countries, the USA and Hungary. The current study used the Sports Motivation Scale II to measure students’ motivation based on the Self-Determination Theory. Results indicated that students in the USA were more motivated for exercise, physical activity, and sport during the COVID-19 pandemic than were their Hungarian counterparts. Students in the United States scored higher (MUS = 17.88) in overall motivation than their Hungarian counterparts (MHungary = −11.57) (F(1,413) = 1290.764, p < 0.001). No other significant differences were identified. These differences could have been due to the differences in types of universities. Perhaps students in Hungary experienced different influences by being enrolled at a university that specializes in sport.

För att uppfylla studiens syfte, att utforska och fördjupa förståelsen för backstagearbetares arbetslivssituation och de underliggande drivkrafterna som motiverar dem till arbete, har 11 personer yrkesverksamma i den svenska livemusikbranschen intervjuats. Deras tankar presenteras i form av arbetslivsberättelser som analyseras med hjälp av Self-Determination Theory. Resultatet visar att behoven av autonomi, kompetens och samhörighet till hög grad tillfredsställs och att det motiverar backstagearbetare till arbete i livemusikbranschen. Studien visar också att autonomi är kopplat till evenemang som överensstämmer med personliga värderingar, att kompetensen används för intressen på samhälls- och individnivå, samt att samhörighet för backstagearbetare består av två delbehov: att uppfylla det egna behovet samt att bidra till att andras behov av samhörighet tillfredsställs. / To accomplish the main goal of this study, exploring and deepening the understanding of what motivates individuals to work backstage in the live sector of the Swedish music industry, we conducted 11 interviews with professionals within the live music industry. Their thoughts are presented in work life stories that we analyze using the Self-Determination Theory. The results indicate that the needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness are satisfied, contributing to work-related motivation in the live music industry. The study also reveals that autonomy is linked to events aligning with personal values, competence contributes to both societal and individual interests, and relatedness within the live music industry are based on two components: to satisfy one's own need of relatedness and contributing to the satisfaction of others' need of relatedness.