Aims: Based on the framework of the Self-determination Theory and focusing on the theory of Basic Psychological Needs, we explored the relationships between Physical Education (PE) teachers’ autonomy-supportive behaviors and students’ need satisfaction, need thwarting, and self-talk during the PE lesson. Methodology: Participants were 544 primary and secondary education Greek students (aged from 12 to 15 years), from nine elementary schools (n = 259) and eight secondary schools (n = 285) in central Greece, who completed a multi-section questionnaire. Results: Results revealed that PE teachers’ autonomy-supportive climate and need satisfaction was positively associated with positive self-talk and negatively associated with negative self-talk, whereas need thwarting was positively related to negative self-talk and negatively related to positive self-talk. Regression analyses revealed that autonomy-supportive climate and competence need thwarting were significant predictors (positive and negative, respectively) of students’ positive self-talk. Furthermore, autonomy and relatedness need satisfaction were negative predictors, whereas competence and relatedness need thwarting were positive predictors of students’ negative self-talk.   Conclusion: Overall, the findings suggest that when PE teachers create a class environment that supports students’ autonomy and the satisfaction of their BPN, while at the same prevents need thwarting, they can positively influence students’ self-talk.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between students’ perceived motivational climate (mastery and performance), satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and self-talk (positive and negative) in physical education (PE). Six hundred six students (282 males, 315 females, 9 did not provide their gender), aged 10 to 17 years old (Mage = 13.32 ± 2.12), from seven primary schools (n = 250), five secondary schools (n = 131), and eight high schools (n = 225) in Greece voluntarily participated in this study. During a PE class, students completed online a number of valid and reliable questionnaires measuring perceived motivational climate, basic psychological needs, and self-talk. Results showed that students’ positive self-talk was positively related to mastery motivational climate, autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In contrast, negative self-talk was positively related only to performance motivational climate and negatively related to perceived mastery climate, competence, and relatedness. Separate hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceived mastery climate and competence were the most significant predictors of students’ positive self-talk. On the contrary, perceived performance climate, competence, and autonomy were the most significant predictors of students’ negative self-talk. On the basis of the results, it seems that PE teacher-initiated motivational climate and satisfaction of basic psychological needs is strongly related to students’ self-talk.

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