The Relationship Between Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness Satisfaction and Disinterest in Physical Education Classes in Elementary School

Abstract

This study shows causes for the lack of interest of sixth and ninth-grade students in physical education classes based on the satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs (BPN) and by the interpretation of reasons given by students for being apart of subject classes. The sequential mixed method was used. The sample of the initial phase of quantitative characteristics (extensive) was composed of 153 students, followed by the intensive phase of qualitative nature, which had 12 students. The result shows that girls feel less attended to their BPN compared to boys, in sixth grade, with an emphasis on the competence dimension, expanding to autonomy and relatedness in the ninth grade. In line with the research objectives, this study indicates that lack of ability (competence), lack of diversification of contents beyond popular coletive sports (competence/autonomy), and lack of opportunities to participate in decision-making (autonomy) are some of the reasons that lead to students to develop disinterest in physical education classes.