| dc.description.abstract | Achievement goal research in physical activity (PA) classes is primarily guided by the dichotomous, trichotomous, and 2 × 2 achievement goal models. However, the utility of the latest 3 × 2 achievement goal model has not been examined in PA settings. Particularly, this latest model and motivational regulations as they relate to students’ achievement/educational outcomes have not been extensively examined in college PA settings. A lack of such information may limit instructors’ understanding of what motivates students in college PA settings. Therefore, this study addressed this deficiency by answering the following four research questions: (1) What are the psychometric properties of the 3 × 2 achievement goal questionnaire (3 × 2 AGQ) and the behavioral regulation in exercise questionnaire-3 (BREQ-3) among American college students in PA classes? (2) What is the predictive power of the achievement goals and motivational regulations in students’ achievement/educational outcomes? (3) Do motivational regulations mediate the relationships between the achievement goals and students’ achievement/educational outcomes? (4) What perceived experiences/factors contribute to students’ endorsement of achievement goals? Accordingly, questionnaire data, accelerometer data, and interview data were collected from a sample of 556 students (M = 20.31 years, SD = 1.34; 305 males; 251 females) enrolled in PA classes at a major university in the southwest U.S. Confirmatory factory analyses (CFAs) and Cronbach alpha analyses revealed that the 3 × 2 AGQ failed to assess task-approach, self-approach, other-approach, task-avoidance, self-avoidance, and other-avoidance goals as construed in the 3 × 2 model of achievement goals but served as a reliable and valid measure assessing task/self-approach, task/self-avoidance, other-approach, and other-avoidance goals in the current study. These analyses also revealed that the BREQ-3 (with one item removed) can reliably and validly assess intrinsic regulation, integrated regulation, identified regulation, introjected regulation, external regulation, and amotivation as theorized in self-determination theory in American college PA classes. Structural equation modeling analyses (SEM) revealed that task/self-approach goals, integrated regulation, and identified regulation significantly predicted persistence/effort; task/self-approach goals, intrinsic regulation, and integrated regulation significantly predicted enjoyment; other-approach goals and integrated regulation positively predicted perceived health, but other-avoidance goals and introjected regulation negatively predicted perceived health; and intrinsic regulation and amotivation were significant positive predictors of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA; assessed by accelerometers). Finally, SEM found that more self-determined motivation fully or partially mediated the relationships between achievement goals and students’ achievement/educational outcomes. The interview data provided some support to the questionnaire data in the current study and showed that students used task-, self-, or other-based competence to justify their achievement goal endorsement. The interview data also provided additional support to the view that the learning environment can influence students’ achievement goals. | en |
