This mixed-methods study looked at the relationship between self-determined motivation and strength improvements in an off-season strength and conditioning program. The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI; Ryan, 1982), which assesses motivation according to the tenets of Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985) measured self-determined motivation in this study. Strength was measured by the Epic Strength Index (ESI; Epley, 2004), which factors the amount of weight lifted along with the bodyweight and gender of the athlete to determine a strength index. Strength improvement was measured as the difference between ending and beginning ESI scores. The participants consisted of one-hundred-twenty-seven male and female athletes ranging between 14-22 years of age and representing a variety of sports including several multi-sport athletes. Each participant was tested in the Power Clean, Bench Press, and Squat at the beginning and end of the program as part of their regular training program. During the second week of the program, the athletes completed the IMI. The amount of weight each athlete lifted in each of the three weightlifting exercises was computed by the ESI yielding an individual strength index for each lift, along with a total score for all three lifts. Correlation and regression analyses revealed a significant relationship between self-determined motivation and strength improvements. The average of all IMI scores independently predicted 50.65% of the variance in strength improvements. Correlation analysis also showed significant relationships for gender and age on ESI improvements, in that females and younger athletes tended to improve more. When a regression analysis accounting for the effects of gender and age on strength improvements was performed, Self-determined motivation still predicted 49.54% of the improvements. At the conclusion of the study, eight of the athletes participated in qualitative interviews. The eight participants represented two male and two female participants from both the top and bottom quartiles of average IMI scores. The qualitative interviews from the work of Hassandra, Goudas, and Chroni (2003) and Vazou, Ntoumanis, and Duda (2005) who used qualitative analysis to study differences in motivational patterns of secondary physical education students and 14 to 16 year-old athletes respectively. The interview questions were formulated to determine factors that affected the initial decision to participate in the program, as well as to discern differences among the top and bottom quartiles participants. The qualitative analysis revealed many similarities and some differences between those in the top and bottom quartiles of motivation. Athletes in both categories mentioned motivation for improvement as the prime reason for participation and as a rewarding aspect of the program. Also common to both groups of athletes was the important role of teammates and coaches in deciding to participate in this program. The main difference between the top and bottom quartiles was in the discussion of "least enjoyed aspects of the program" and "difficulties of the program". While those in the top quartile of motivation reported to that they mostly liked the program and mentioned only transportation as a difficulty of the program, those in the bottom quartile provided a wide variety of responses to these questions.

Emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation have been independently identified as important personal variables that are liable to foster optimal work functioning. However, the relationship between these two variables has never been assessed. Furthermore, research has also provided evidence that supervisor support, a social variable, is considered to be a significant source of influence on self-determined behaviour regulation. Thus the primary objective of the project was to jointly assess emotional intelligence and supervisor support as antecedents of self-determined work motivation; secondly, to assess the associations of self-determined work motivation on work outcome variables and psychological welfare; and thirdly, to examine the association between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being on 512 police source handlers. Specifically, it was proposed that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to self-determined work motivation and would display a unique association with work motivation, once the variance from supervisor support has been controlled for. It was further proposed that self-determined work motivation would, in turn, be positively associated with positive work outcomes; specifically, job satisfaction, job performance, future work intentions, and psychological well-being. Lastly, it was hypothesized that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to psychological well-being. Data was analyzed using structural equations modeling. Results revealed that emotional intelligence and supervisor support were both uniquely associated with work motivation. Together, these two variables explained a high proportion of the variance of work motivation. Work motivation, in turn, was positively associated with job satisfaction, job performance, future work intention, and psychological well-being. Emotional intelligence and psychological well-being were also positively associated. Overall, the findings of this thesis provide a basis for future research aimed at determining the causal relationship between emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation. It is further suggested that findings gleaned from this study can provide a better understanding of how certain interpersonal behaviours can impact specific work outcomes, which can provide researchers and practitioners with information to improve individual and organizational outcomes of interest.

Emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation have been independently identified as important personal variables that are liable to foster optimal work functioning. However, the relationship between these two variables has never been assessed. Furthermore, research has also provided evidence that supervisor support, a social variable, is considered to be a significant source of influence on self-determined behaviour regulation. Thus the primary objective of the project was to jointly assess emotional intelligence and supervisor support as antecedents of self-determined work motivation; secondly, to assess the associations of self-determined work motivation on work outcome variables and psychological welfare; and thirdly, to examine the association between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being on 512 police source handlers. Specifically, it was proposed that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to self-determined work motivation and would display a unique association with work motivation, once the variance from supervisor support has been controlled for. It was further proposed that self-determined work motivation would, in turn, be positively associated with positive work outcomes; specifically, job satisfaction, job performance, future work intentions, and psychological well-being. Lastly, it was hypothesized that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to psychological well-being. Data was analyzed using structural equations modeling. Results revealed that emotional intelligence and supervisor support were both uniquely associated with work motivation. Together, these two variables explained a high proportion of the variance of work motivation. Work motivation, in turn, was positively associated with job satisfaction, job performance, future work intention, and psychological well-being. Emotional intelligence and psychological well-being were also positively associated. Overall, the findings of this thesis provide a basis for future research aimed at determining the causal relationship between emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation. It is further suggested that findings gleaned from this study can provide a better understanding of how certain interpersonal behaviours can impact specific work outcomes, which can provide researchers and practitioners with information to improve individual and organizational outcomes of interest.

Investigating the Relationship of Work-Family Conflicts Through the Self-Determination Theory Abstract: Interpersonal climates influence motivation of both family and work-related activities in the family and the workplace. Within the family, the feeling of being valued by one's partner directly affects a person¡¦s self-determination, while at the same time within the workplace, the feeling of being autonomy-supported by one's employer will affect one¡¦s self-determined motivation towards work related activities. If people had a high level of self-determination, they would be able to decide for themselves which activities to devote themselves to and would do so in high spirits, thus making it difficult for family alienation to occur. Nevertheless, once the phenomenon of family alienation occurs, one is no longer able to obtain family support and approval, thus is stripped of self-merit. Moreover, this phenomenon will also produce feelings of loneliness, frustration, which in turn influences the experience of work-family conflict. Ultimately in the end, work-family conflict leads to job burnout. This research uses Kaohsiung high school teachers as the subject of study, focusing primarily on how personal relationships affect self-determined motivation within the family and the workplace. Moreover, low levels of self-determined motivation in both the family and the work place leads to family alienation. Furthermore in discussing the relations among family alienation, work-family conflicts, job burnout, the factors of gender, age, position and the nature of the school were used to investigate and analyze the effects of interference of feeling valued by one's partner, feeling of being autonomy-supported by one's employer, motivation towards family activities, motivation towards work, family alienation, work-family conflicts, and job burnout. This research uses the method of survey questionnaire, and is analyzed with various methods of statistical analysis. The important discoveries are stated as follows: A. It was found that Kaohsiung teachers who had a strong feeling of being valued by one's partner within the family environment, also had a high level of self-determined motivation and therefore lessened the occurrence of family alienation. B. It was found that Kaohsiung teachers who did not have a strong feeling of being autonomy-supported by one's employer within the workplace but had adequate acceptance, possessed a lower self-determined motivation and less motivation towards work; Thereby making it easier for family alienation to occur. C. Taking care of children was the main factor leading to work-family conflict for Kaohsiung teachers¡¦. D. Family-work interference was the main factor leading to job burnout for Kaohsiung teachers. E. It was found that family alienation produces work-family conflicts and thus ultimately leading to job burnout. F. The interference effect of gender. 1. The interaction of motivation towards work activities and gender has an interference effect on family alienation. 2. The interaction of self-determined motivation towards work and gender has an interference effect on family alienation, work-family conflicts, and job burnout. G. The interference effect of occupational position 1. The interaction of Motivation towards family activities and occupational position has an interference effect on family alienation. 2. The interaction of self-determined motivation towards family and occupational position has an interference effect on family alienation, work-family conflicts, and job burnout. H. The interference effect of age 1. The interaction of motivation towards family activities and age has an interference effect on family alienation. 2. The interaction of self-determined motivation towards work and age has an interference effect on job burnout. I. It was found that effects of cultural difference between western and eastern culture created different methods for solving work-family conflicts. J. It was found that differing results produced from eastern and western cultural caused variations towards gender. Keyword: self-determined motivation, family alienation, work-family conflict, job burnout

Emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation have been independently identified as important personal variables that are liable to foster optimal work functioning. However, the relationship between these two variables has never been assessed. Furthermore, research has also provided evidence that supervisor support, a social variable, is considered to be a significant source of influence on self-determined behaviour regulation. Thus the primary objective of the project was to jointly assess emotional intelligence and supervisor support as antecedents of self-determined work motivation; secondly, to assess the associations of self-determined work motivation on work outcome variables and psychological welfare; and thirdly, to examine the association between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being on 512 police source handlers. Specifically, it was proposed that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to self-determined work motivation and would display a unique association with work motivation, once the variance from supervisor support has been controlled for. It was further proposed that self-determined work motivation would, in turn, be positively associated with positive work outcomes; specifically, job satisfaction, job performance, future work intentions, and psychological well-being. Lastly, it was hypothesized that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to psychological well-being. Data was analyzed using structural equations modeling. Results revealed that emotional intelligence and supervisor support were both uniquely associated with work motivation. Together, these two variables explained a high proportion of the variance of work motivation. Work motivation, in turn, was positively associated with job satisfaction, job performance, future work intention, and psychological well-being. Emotional intelligence and psychological well-being were also positively associated. Overall, the findings of this thesis provide a basis for future research aimed at determining the causal relationship between emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation. It is further suggested that findings gleaned from this study can provide a better understanding of how certain interpersonal behaviours can impact specific work outcomes, which can provide researchers and practitioners with information to improve individual and organizational outcomes of interest.

Emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation have been independently identified as important personal variables that are liable to foster optimal work functioning. However, the relationship between these two variables has never been assessed. Furthermore, research has also provided evidence that supervisor support, a social variable, is considered to be a significant source of influence on self-determined behaviour regulation. Thus the primary objective of the project was to jointly assess emotional intelligence and supervisor support as antecedents of self-determined work motivation; secondly, to assess the associations of self-determined work motivation on work outcome variables and psychological welfare; and thirdly, to examine the association between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being on 512 police source handlers. Specifically, it was proposed that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to self-determined work motivation and would display a unique association with work motivation, once the variance from supervisor support has been controlled for. It was further proposed that self-determined work motivation would, in turn, be positively associated with positive work outcomes; specifically, job satisfaction, job performance, future work intentions, and psychological well-being. Lastly, it was hypothesized that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to psychological well-being. Data was analyzed using structural equations modeling. Results revealed that emotional intelligence and supervisor support were both uniquely associated with work motivation. Together, these two variables explained a high proportion of the variance of work motivation. Work motivation, in turn, was positively associated with job satisfaction, job performance, future work intention, and psychological well-being. Emotional intelligence and psychological well-being were also positively associated. Overall, the findings of this thesis provide a basis for future research aimed at determining the causal relationship between emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation. It is further suggested that findings gleaned from this study can provide a better understanding of how certain interpersonal behaviours can impact specific work outcomes, which can provide researchers and practitioners with information to improve individual and organizational outcomes of interest.

<p>Despite the known benefits of regular exercise for cardiac patients (Jolliffe et al., 2001) and the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation programs to facilitate exercise participation in this population, exercise adherence remains a challenge for these individuals as evidenced by the reported decline in exercise participation over time (e.g., Moore et al., 2006). Investigating cardiac patients' motivation or willingness to engage in exercise may provide a better understanding of why some patients are better maintainers of exercise and others are not. Using self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985; 2002), the present study investigated changes in need satisfaction and selfdetermined motivation, as well as the role of perceived autonomy support relative to patient motivation, in the early months of participation in cardiac rehabilitation. It was hypothesized that need satisfaction and autonomous forms of behavioural regulation would increase over time, and that perceived autonomy support (ratings of exercise leaders' tendencies to acknowledge patients' perspectives, provide choices and contingent feedback, etc.) would positively predict changes in behavioural regulation, mediated by changes in psychological need satisfaction. Another aim of the study was to examine how autonomous forms of behavioural regulation related to cardiac patients' exercise intentions and self-managed exercise behaviour, and it was hypothesized that this relationship would be positive for both exercise intentions and behaviour. Fifty-three male participants (Mage= 62.83 ± 10.78) who were enrolled in a hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation program completed assessments of perceived autonomy support, need satisfaction and behavioural regulation at weeks 4, 8, and 12 of program participation. At week 14, participants' self-managed exercise behaviour and their exercise intentions to engage in independent exercise for the next 4 weeks were assessed. In general, participants' scores for all variables of interest were relatively high. Consistent with hypotheses, autonomy and relatedness need satisfaction, along with integrated and intrinsic regulation increased from week 4 to week 12 during cardiac rehabilitation. However, perceived autonomy support was not related to changes in need satisfaction or behavioural regulation, and thus, support for mediation was not obtained. Nonetheless, the high ratings of perceived autonomy support reflect the exercise leaders' natural tendency to use an autonomy supportive teaching style with patients. In addition, a positive relationship was found between autonomous forms of behavioural regulation (i.e., integrated and intrinsic) and exercise intentions, lending support to the SDT framework. The positive findings for need satisfaction, autonomous regulation, exercise intentions, and behaviour reflect a highly self-determined group of cardiac patients who are choosing to engage in self-managed exercise while still participating in the supervised cardiac rehabilitation program. These findings are promising in terms of regular exercise adoption in this population.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Syftet med studien var att undersöka graden och arten arbetsmotivation hos direktanställda och bemanningsanställda sjuksköterskor utifrån Self-Determination Theory. Data inhämtades genom en webbenkät som distribuerades till respondenterna genom e-post och sociala medier. Totalt inkom 384 svar. Arbetsmotivationen mättes genom mätverktyget WEIMS (Work Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Scale). En mixad ANOVA användes för att analysera data. Resultatet visade att bemanningsanställda sjuksköterskor hade högre arbetsmotivation än vad direktanställda sjuksköterskor hade. Detta överensstämde inte med hypotes 1. Resultatet visade att både direktanställda och bemanningsanställda sjuksköterskor hade högre självbestämd än icke självbestämd arbetsmotivation. Det överensstämde inte med hypotes 2. Då datainsamlingsfasen erbjöd vissa problem med att upptäcka och utesluta störande variabler, som till exempel sjuksköterskornas yrkesinriktning, kan det vara motiverat att replikera studien med bättre kontroll över dessa faktorer. / The aim of this study was to investigate the strength and type of work motivation among regular and contractual nurses using Self-Determination Theory. Data was collected through a web-based questionnaire which was distributed to the respondents through email and social media. Altogether 384 respondents replied. Work motivation was measured using WEIMS (Work Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Scale). Data was analyzed using a mixed-design ANOVA. The result showed that contractual nurses had higher work motivation compared to regular nurses. This was not in line with hypothesis 1. The result showed that both regular and contractual nurses had higher self-determined than nonself-determined work motivation. This was not in line with hypothesis 2. Due to some problems with the collection of data concerning the discovery and extinction of confounding variables, such as nurses’ professional orientation, it could be motivated to replicate the study under better control over those factors.

The aim of this study was to examine pre-service science teachers&rsquo / self-determined motivation toward environment and investigate how their basic psychological needs that support their self-determined motivation were fullfilled during the environmental course activities. The thesis includes two main parts: a quantitative part and a qualitative part. In the quantitative part of the study, PSTs&rsquo / motivation toward environment was measured before, after and five months later following the course activities. In the qualitative part of the study, how PSTs&rsquo / basic psychological needs were supported during the course activities was examined through multiple case study method. The study was implemented in an environmental science course. 33 pre-service science teachers who are taking the course participated in the study. Environmental problems which are Easter Island, Environment vs. Economy, Paper vs. Plastic, Ozone Depletion, Why Worry about Extinction?, Hasankeyf and Mamak Garbage Dump were discussed during the six course weeks. Five PSTs, who were chosen as a focus group, were interviewed each week after course discussions. The qualitative data were collected through interviews, discussion recordings, assignments and reflection papers. The results of the study illustrated that PSTs&rsquo / self determined motivation toward environment increased after the course activities and five months later following the course. PSTs&rsquo / negative capacity beliefs causing amotivation toward environment declined after the course activities and in follow up measurement. Finally, qualitative results of the study revealed that supporting cognitive and instructional features of PSTs during the course activities fullfilled their basic psychological needs and thus, fostered their self determined motivation toward environment.

Background: Gaining insight into factors related to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) behavior may assist development of behavior change interventions targeting older adults. Purpose: To explore direct and indirect associations between older adults’ affective responses during MVPA and future MVPA behavior via self-efficacy beliefs and self-determined motivation. Methods: Data were collected from 82 older adults before, during, and after a walking bout; MVPA behavior was measured 1 month later via telephone. Results: Increases in tranquility during MVPA were indirectly correlated with future MVPA behavior via self-determined motivation (p < .05), but not self-efficacy beliefs (p > .05). Decreases in positive engagement and tranquility during MVPA were directly and positively linked with future MVPA behavior, whereas increases in revitalization during MVPA and self-determined motivation were directly and positively linked with future MVPA behavior (p < .05). Conclusions: Changes in older adults’ affective responses during MVPA may be important correlates of future MVPA behavior.