The Role of Autonomy Support and Motivation in the Prediction of Interest and Dropout Intentions in Sport and Education Settings

Based on the hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Vallerand, 1997), the purpose of the present research was to propose and test a model that posits that individuals' perceptions of autonomy support from their supervisor in an activity (e. g., coach, teacher) and their global autonomous motivation jointly promote their autonomous (contextual) motivation toward the activity. In turn, contextual autonomous motivation positively predicts interest in the activity, whereas it negatively predicts intentions to drop out of the activity. In Study 1, the model was tested with a sample of 206 competitive athletes registered in the French Skiing Federation. In Study 2, a short longitudinal design was used, and the sample was composed of 206 French high school students (128 female, 78 male). Results from structural equation modeling analyses supported the hypothesized model. These results provided support for the hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Vallerand, 1997). The implications of the findings and future research avenues are discussed in light of the hierarchical model and self-determination theory.