Between calling and constraint: what drives physical education teachers’ beliefs about motivational practices?

The importance of interactions occurring in physical education (PE) on learners’ motivation and behaviours has been widely explored, and understanding antecedents underlying such interactions has gained growing attention. In this regard, teachers’ beliefs have been suggested to significantly influence their behaviours. Building on previous findings, this study pursued two complementary aims. First, using a variable-centred approach, a predictive model of PE teachers’ beliefs about the effectiveness and feasibility of implementing motivational strategies was tested. Second, adopting a person-centred approach, teacher profiles based on levels of perceived pressure and vocation were identified, examining whether these profiles differed in basic psychological need satisfaction and motivational beliefs. A total of 248 PE teachers completed validated questionnaires. Results from both approaches showed that vocation towards teaching and perceived job pressures condition teachers’ beliefs about the use of motivational strategies, underscoring the value of jointly considering dispositional and contextual antecedents to better understand teachers’ beliefs.