Does the level of motivation of physical education teachers matter in terms of job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion? A person-centered examination based on self-determination theory

Abós Catalán, Ángel (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Haerens, Leen ; Sevil Serrano, Javier (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Morbée, Sofie ; García González, Luis (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), prior research has demonstrated that physical education (PE) teachers may have different reasons to engage in teaching. Although some person-centered studies have identified varied motivational profiles in PE teachers, none of these studies have included the three forms of motivation (i.e., autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and amotivation). This study aims to identify teachers’ motivational profiles, using the three forms of motivation. Moreover, differences between the obtained profiles in terms of job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion were examined. A sample of 107 primary school PE teachers participated. Four distinct motivational profiles were identified: “relatively amotivated”, “somewhat motivated”, “autonomous-controlled motivated”, and “relatively autonomously motivated”. Results showed that the predominantly autonomously motivated PE teachers reported the most adaptive pattern of outcomes. Although PE teachers from the “relatively autonomously motivated” group did not differ in terms of job satisfaction when compared to those in the “autonomous-controlled motivated” group, the former displayed lower values of emotional exhaustion. These findings support SDT in that more motivation is not necessarily better if this additional motivation comes from controlled reasons. These results could raise awareness among school stakeholders about the importance of increasing PE teachers’ autonomous motivation.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16162839

Año: 2019

Publicado en: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, 16 (2019), 2839 [15 pp.]
ISSN: 1661-7827

Factor impacto JCR: 2.849 (2019)

Categ. JCR: PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH rank: 32 / 170 = 0.188 (2019) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES rank: 105 / 265 = 0.396 (2019) - Q2 - T2
Categ. JCR: PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH rank: 58 / 193 = 0.301 (2019) - Q2 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.739 - Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis (Q2) - Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health (Q2) - Pollution (Q2)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/S17-17R

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Didáctica Expres.Corporal (Dpto. Expres.Music.Plást.Corp.)