Causal Relationships of Students’ Perceived Physical Ability with Exercise Participation, and Satisfaction in Sport and Physical Education Lessons: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the causal relationship of students’ perceived physical ability with sport and exercise participation, and satisfaction in sport and physical education lessons. A longitudinal study was conducted involving 1508 (559 boys and 994 girls) Greek students who completed questionnaires on three continuous academic years (X1, X2 and X3), once a year, measuring perceived physical ability, frequency of sport and exercise, and satisfaction in sport and physical education lessons. At X1 677 students were in the sixth and 831 students were in eleventh grades. The data were analyzed using structural equation models. Results indicated reciprocal effects between perceived physical ability, exercise participation and satisfaction in sport and physical education lessons. All results are in accordance with those of similar studies, support the positive role of perceived physical ability for exercise involvement, and provide support for the reciprocal effects model which consider self concept both as cause and outcome of behaviours and satisfaction in specific domains.