Impact of an Autonomy-Based Program on Perceived Autonomy Support, Intrinsic Motivation and Leisure-Time Physical Activity of High-School Student: An Accelerometer-Based Study

Introduction: One of the key factors that enhances individuals' participation in various activities, including physical activity (PA), is motivation. Objective: The primary objective was to assess the impact of an autonomy-support (AS) intervention program in physical education (PE) on perceived AS, intrinsic motivation (IM), and PA.
Methods: This study employed a semi-experimental design featuring practical applications, utilizing a pre-test and post-test framework alongside a control group. The research focused on 60 male adolescents, aged 16 to 18, recruited from two high schools and divided into two groups of 30: the intervention group and the control group. To evaluate the research variables, Perceived Autonomy Support in PE, Intrinsic Motivation Scale and The ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometer were utilized. The analysis was conducted using ANCOVA.
Results: The results indicated that both groups exhibited similar levels in the pre-test regarding perceived AS (P=0.842), IM (P=0.790) and MVPA (P=0.527). However, in the post-test, the intervention group demonstrated significantly higher perceived AS (F=13.527, P<0.001), IM (F=15.349, P<0.001) and MVPA (F=56.638, P<0.001) compared to the control group.
Conclusion: These results suggest that the principles of self-determination theory (SDT) can be applied to high-school students as well. Consequently, PE instructors at schools can enhance students' health-oriented PA levels by employing teaching styles based on SDT, which aligns with one of the primary objectives of general PE courses.