Analyzing students’ emotional experience in physical education (PE) is of crucial importance as it may fill an important gap in research examining the role of PE for students’ leisure-time physical activity (PA). Based on the control-value theory of achievement emotions, the purpose of this study was to test the assumption that multi-dimensional autonomy support of the PE teacher may affect students’ leisure-time PA via their appraisals of control and value and achievement emotions experienced in PE. Variance-based structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed model in a sample of 1030 students aged between 11 and 18 years (M = 13.4, SD = 1.48) stemming from schools with the lowest educational level among secondary schools in Germany. The results indicated that in particular cognitive autonomy support positively predicted students’ self-efficacy and intrinsic value. Whereas appraisals of self-efficacy were negatively related to the experience of anxiety, intrinsic value was a major positive predictor of enjoyment. Enjoyment, in turn, was of substantial relevance for leisure-time PA. The findings offer a meaningful contribution in understanding students’ emotional experiences and remind PE teachers of their opportunity to adopt an autonomy-supportive teaching style to positively influence the emotions of their students.

Physical inactivity is deemed to be the fourth leading cause for premature death. Nevertheless, only a minority of children and adolescents in Germany fulfil the guideline of the World Health Organization of at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. Children and adolescents with a lower socioeconomic background and especially girls are regarded as a high-risk group in terms of physical inactivity. Aim of this study is to examine how a theory-based physical education intervention programme supporting students’ autonomy, competence and relatedness affects physical activity both during these lessons and in leisure time. Based on the self-determination theory and the social cognitive theory, the extent to which autonomy, competence, relatedness, social support and self-efficacy in girls mediate the effect of the intervention programme on their physical activity will be examined. Moreover, the potential moderating role of socioeconomic status, environmental factors, teacher characteristics and BMI will be tested. CReActivity is a two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with a follow-up period of three months after the end of the intervention programme. A total of 600 sixth grade girls in lower secondary schools in Bavaria, Germany will be proactively recruited. The intervention is carried out by the physical education teachers of the participating classes for five months. Primary outcome is the girls’ physical activity measured by accelerometers and systematic observations. We expect to provide an intervention programme that can contribute to the increase of physical activity levels in girls and offer insights into the mechanisms of physical activity behaviour change. German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00015723 (date of registration: 2018/10/22 retrospectively registered).

As only a small group of children fulfil the guidelines for physical activity, interventions are necessary to promote active lifestyles. We examined the effects of a sports-oriented primary school (N = 79) in comparison to a regular primary school (N = 90) on students’ physical literacy and cognitive performance. To evaluate the implementation of the sports-oriented school curriculum a process evaluation was conducted, in which the school curriculum was analysed and guideline-based interviews were carried out with the schoolteachers and the school director. To measure students’ physical literacy and cognitive performance several tests were used. Small positive effects of the sports-oriented primary school on students’ physical literacy were shown in standing long jump and attitudes towards physical activity. There were no differences between the groups regarding cognitive performance. This study provides the first insights on how a sports-oriented school can promote students’ physical literacy in the future. The results are in line with previous research that shows that when children spend more time in physical education and overall physical activities at school, no negative consequences result for their cognitive performance. In future, long-term evaluations of the effects of sports-oriented schools are required to receive valid results on the effects on students.

Teachers’ autonomy support (AS) in physical education (PE) has positive effects on students’ affective and behavioral outcomes in PE. Even though the existence of three different dimensions of AS, namely cognitive, organizational and procedural AS has been suggested in educational settings, there is a lack of multidimensional instruments for the assessment of autonomy-supportive teaching in PE. The aim of this study was to validate the German Multi-Dimensional Perceived Autonomy Support Scale for Physical Education (MD-PASS-PE). The sample comprised 1030 students of grades 6 through 10. Internal consistency was used to test the reliability of the assumed subscales. Factorial validity and measurement invariance across gender and age were examined by confirmatory factor analyses. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate criterion validity. The subscales exhibited acceptable to good internal consistency. The assumed three-factor structure was confirmed within a bi-factor model including a general factor and three specific group factors. Results strongly supported measurement invariance across gender while tentatively suggesting measurement invariance across age. Criterion validity was supported as the MD-PASS-PE explained 15% and 14% of the variance in the constructs of self-efficacy and intrinsic value, respectively. The German MD-PASS-PE provides PE teachers with deeper insights into their autonomy-supportive teaching behavior, helping them to support their students’ autonomy in a holistic way.

Background: The majority of children and adolescents are insufficiently physically active. Self-efficacy is considered one of the most important determinants of physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to validate the German version of the physical activity self-efficacy scale by means of a multi-level approach. Factorial validity, internal consistency and criterion validity were examined for the individual and the class level.Methods: The final sample comprised 454 female sixth-graders of 33 classes. To examine the factorial validity of the translated 8-item scale, a multi-level confirmatory factor analysis was conducted with the lavaan package in R. Internal consistency was estimated with the alpha function of the psych package. Criterion validity was examined by correlating self-efficacy with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) assessed with accelerometers.Results: In contrast to previous validation studies, a unidimensional structure of the scale was not supported. Instead, two highly correlated (r_individual = .87; r_class = .69) but distinct latent factors, representing PA self-efficacy and social support from family and friends, were differentiated on both the individual and class level. The best overall fit exhibited a multi-level 1 × 1-model, including only the six items measuring PA self-efficacy (χ2 = 32.10, CFI = .986, TLI = .976, RMSEA = .059, SRMR = .035). Internal consistencies for the complete 8-item scale and the 6-item scale were good on the individual level and excellent on the class level. For the two items measuring social support, Cronbach’s alpha was low on the individual and excellent on the class level. Weak relations between self-efficacy and MVPA were found for the individual level, strong associations were found for the class level.Conclusions: The validation speaks for the use of the abridged 6-item scale, which allows for a unidimensional assessment of PA self-efficacy. Generally, the results support the relevance of a multi-level approach, which not only differentiates between self-efficacy on the individual level and on the class level but also between the respective implications regarding reliability and criterion validity on both levels. Thereby, this study offers a rigorously validated scale and further illustrates possible consequences of the usual neglect of group-level variance in scale validation.

(1) Background: Self-determination theory (SDT) claims that need supportive behavior is related to the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs: autonomy, relatedness and competence. The student–teacher relationship is of special interest to understand mechanisms of physical activity behavior change in physical education (PE). (2) Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 481 girls answered a German version of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction (BPNS) in PE Scale. Contrary to previous studies, the psychometric properties of this scale were examined by multilevel confirmatory factor analysis. (3) Results: A model with three latent factors on both levels showed acceptable fit and all items showed significant factor loadings. Although one item was excluded due to psychometric reasons, the scale showed good internal consistencies; α = 0.85 at the individual level and α = 0.84 at the class level. Subscales’ internal consistency at the individual levels was good, while at class level, the scores differed from poor to good. Small significant correlations of BPNS with moderate to vigorous physical activity support criterion validity. (4) Conclusion: The 11-item scale is a valid measurement tool to assess BPNS in PE and further application in the school setting would broaden the insights into the psychological impacts of SDT in PE.