Does Motivation in Physical Education Have an Impact on Out-of-School Physical Activity over Time? A Longitudinal Approach

Previous research based on the trans-contextual model proposes that autonomous motivation in physical education (PE) is transferable to an out-of-school leisure-time (LT) context. However, only cross-sectional and unidirectional analyses have been conducted. The present study used a longitudinal design assessing N = 1681 students (M = 14.68 years) on two occasions, measuring the following constructs: perceived need for support in PE, motivational regulation during PE and LT, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention, and physical activity behavior. Findings based on mixed effect models revealed that autonomy, competence, and relatedness support of the PE teacher were positively related to autonomous motivation. Moreover, similar motivational regulation types were found to significantly cross-lag across contexts. Through longitudinal mediation analyses, further support for the impact of autonomous motivation on physical activity, mediated by intention, attitude, and perceived behavioral control, was found. Suggestions for educational stakeholders regarding how to promote students’ autonomous motivation are provided.