MOTIVATIONAL CLIMATE, PERCEIVED COMPETENCE, COMMITMENT AND ANXIETY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION. DIFFERENCES BY COMPULSORY NATURE OF EDUCATION

This study describes relationships between perceived motivational climate, perceived competence, commitment and anxiety in a sample of physical education students; and analyses differences found according to the compulsory nature of education. 1587 students, aged 12-18 years (M = 15.26; SD = 1.61) completed the Spanish versions of PMCSQ-2 (Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionaire-2) and AMPET (Achievement Motivation in Physical Education Test). Results showed differences depending on the compulsory nature of education in anxiety, in which compulsory education students got higher scores than non-compulsory ones. Correlation and regression analyses showed greater consistency in baccalaureate students than ones in compulsory secondary education. In both groups it was found that an ego involving climate was the best predictor of perceived competence and anxiety; while a task involving climate was the best predictor of commitment. Results suggest the compulsory nature of education could be a variable to take into consideration in the study of students' motivational profile.