The Relationship of Secondary Education Students’ Perception of Physical Education Teachers’ Expectations with their Social-Psychological Characteristics

Abstract

The purpose of the present research was to study the role that Secondary Education students’ perceptions of the expectations of Physical Education (PE) Teachers have in predicting and developing their social-psychological characteristics with ultimate goal of their participation in PE. In research voluntarily participated 216 secondary school students from two prefectures of Northern Greece. The participants were asked to respond a questionnaire, which included: a) the scale for students’ beliefs about the expectations of their EFAs, b) the scale with questions regarding the expectations for their individual achievements from the PE lesson, c) the scale for students’ vitality, commitment and absorption in the PE course, d) the scale of achievement goals that characterize them, e) the scale for their perceived competence and f) the scale for their physical competence and self-confidence. The results of the statistical analysis showed that students’ perceptions of their teachers’ expectations positively predicted their self-expectations of achievement, perception about their competence, and three of the four achievement goals (specifically: mastery approach, mastery avoidance and performance approach goals). Also, students’ perception of their teachers’ expectations were a negative predictor of the perceived physical competence of the former, while it did not predict self-confidence or the performance avoidance goal. In conclusion, secondary school students’ perception of their PE teachers’ expectations plays a significant predictive factor for several of their social-psychological characteristics which in turn are associated with their participation in the PE lesson.