A Circumplex Approach to (de)motivating Styles in Physical Education: Situations-In-School–Physical Education Questionnaire in Spanish Students, Pre-Service, and In-Service Teachers

ABSTRACT

Building upon self-determination theory and the circumplex approach, the objective of this study was to adapt the Situations-in-School–Physical Education (SIS–PE) questionnaire and to gather validity and reliability evidence in the Spanish PE context. Three samples of 1441 students (46.43% girls), 473 in-service teachers (35.73% women), and 654 pre-service teachers (50.31% women) participated. Multidimensional scaling analyses indicated that (de)motivating styles (autonomy support, structure, control, and chaos) were graphically depicted by a two-dimensional circular structure differing into need-supportiveness (horizontal axis) and teacher directiveness (vertical axis). Eight specific approaches (two per stye) were additionally identified (participative, attuning, guiding, clarifying, demanding, domineering, abandoning, and awaiting) drawing an ordered pattern of correlations. Bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling additionally supported four overarching styles and eight specific approaches. Reliability and external validity were met in the three samples. The Spanish versions of the SIS-PE questionnaire are valid and reliable measures to assess students’, in-service, and pre-service teachers’ perceptions of (de)motivating styles.

KEYWORDS:

• need-supportive style
• need-thwarting styles
• teaching style
• teaching behavior
• circumplex model

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the project research titled Assessing and improving teaching behaviors in Physical Education to improve students’ motivational processes and Physical Activity levels (Grant PID2021-127897NA-I00), funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”. Rafael Burgueño was specifically supported by a Margarita Salas postdoctoral fellowship (number: RR_A_2021_02) from the Spanish Ministry of Universities [RR_A_2021_02]. Luis García-González was specifically supported by a Salvador de Madariaga” research mobility program from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities [PRX21/00716].