Antecedents of primary school teachers’ need-supportive and need-thwarting styles in physical education

It is widely acknowledged that teachers’ (de)motivating style (what they say, do and how act) affects students’ learning. Understanding what leads teachers to adopt a necessary develop effective training programmes. The current study aimed identify antecedents of motivating (i.e. need-supportive) demotivating need-thwarting) styles by (a) examining the relationships between five types pressures these (b) investigating mediating role motivation. A total 509 generalist primary school completed questionnaire about their perceived styles, from above time constraints, pressure display authority), below perceptions disengagement) within beliefs effectiveness rewards, adherence entity theory), autonomous controlled motivations teach physical education. Structural equation modelling showed need-supportive was negatively predicted disengagement theory, this relation fully mediated need-thwarting positively authority rewards. Results when are reduced, more style, because likely enjoy value teaching. Conversely, prevalent, style. This identified be targeted developing interventions which aim modify in turn could impact motivation behaviours.