Participation in Afterschool Sport: Relationship to Perceived Need Support, Need Satisfaction, and Motivation in Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in the perceptions of self-determination theory-based constructs such as the psychological needs support from the teacher and one’s peers, perceived satisfaction of the needs for competence, autonomy, relatedness, as well as different types of motivation in physical education among students with different organized afterschool sport experiences. Six hundred and fifty-nine Estonian secondary-school students completed questionnaires assessing the key variables of interest. Results indicated that boys who did afterschool sport scored significantly higher on perceived autonomy and relatedness support from the teacher and relatedness support from their peers, perceived satisfaction of the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness and external regulation than boys without afterschool sport experiences. Girls who did afterschool sport scored significantly higher on perceived competence and relatedness support from their peers as well as perceived satisfaction of the needs for autonomy and competence compared to girls without afterschool sport experiences.