An analysis of mechanisms underlying social goals in physical education: a comparison between ordinary and special classes

Background The effect of basic needs and motivational climate has been widely examined in recent years in the field of achievement motivation. Nevertheless, recent studies indicate the need to consider students’ (with or without special needs) social goals (e.g. affiliation, recognition, status and responsibility goals) in order to achieve a better understanding of teenagers’ motivation to engage in physical activities such as physical education (PE) and sports. The study aimed to test a theoretical model combining concepts of three motivational theories and to verify if the model varies according to students’ type of class (ordinary or special).Methods This correlational study was conducted in four public high schools in the province of Quebec (Canada). A sample of 277 students aged 13–16 years (Mage = 13.55, SD = 0.89, boys = 61.2%) from regular (50.2%) and special education (49.8%) classes completed a questionnaire that assessed five constructs: basic psychological needs, perceived motivational climate, social goals in PE, and overall attitudes towards PE and physical activity (PA) using self-reported questionnaires. Path analyses and invariance testing were performed to verify the presence of class-type differences.Results In contrast to students from regular classes, those from special classes reported higher autonomy and relatedness in PE. These students also perceived a lower mastery climate and a higher performance climate, and they reported pursuing more recognition and status goals. Results partially supported our theoretical model: motivational climate → need satisfaction → social goals → attitudes. In addition to the expected relationships, positive paths were significant between dimensions of the motivational climate and students’ adoption of social goals (mastery climate → responsibility and affiliation goals; performance climate → recognition and status goals; relatedness-support → affiliation goals) and attitudes (mastery climate → PE attitudes), and between need satisfaction and students’ goals (autonomy → status goal) and attitudes (competence → PE and PA attitudes). The final model was invariant across groups, except for the relationship between students’ need for autonomy and their adoption of social affiliation goals. In fact, this relationship was positive and significant only for students from special classes.Conclusions The research sheds light on the mechanisms underlying social goals, while emphasizing the importance of promoting a motivational climate that fulfils students’ basic psychological needs in both regular and special PE classes.