The role of teachers’ controlling behaviour in physical education on adolescents’ health-related quality of life: test of a conditional process model*

Students’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) may depend on the extent to which the school environment fostered by their teacher is perceived as autonomy-supportive. We tested a conditional process model in a physical education context in which students’ perception of their teachers’ autonomy-supportive behaviour moderated the relationship between perceived controlling behaviour and HRQoL via need frustration. School students (N = 1042) completed self-report measures of perceived teachers’ autonomy support, perceived controlling behaviour, need frustration, and HRQoL. As predicted, the effect of perceived teachers’ controlling behaviour on HRQoL was mediated by need frustration. Perceived autonomy support did not moderate this indirect effect. Specifically, higher levels of autonomy support did not attenuate the indirect effect of perceived controlling behaviour on HRQoL through need frustration. Findings highlight the importance of minimizing controlling behaviour, rather than an exclusive focus on enhancing autonomy-supportive behaviour, to enhance students’ HRQoL.