The influence of perceived need support in physical education on adolescents’ extracurricular physical activity: a cross- contextual perspective based on self-determination theory and prospect theory
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: In research on adolescent physical activity, understanding how positive psychological experiences in physical education classes can be transformed into sustained participation in extracurricular physical activity has become a critical issue for bridging classroom instruction and out-of-class physical activity. Drawing on self-determination theory, the trans-contextual model, and prospect theory, the present study examines the mechanisms through which adolescents' perceived need support in physical education classes influences their sustained participation in extracurricular physical activity. Methods: A two-wave longitudinal design was adopted, and data were collected from 597 Chinese secondary school students. Mediation effects were estimated using the product-of-coefficients approach combined with the bias-corrected Monte Carlo bootstrapping method. Results: < 0.001). Conclusion: Adolescents' perceived need support in physical education classes can promote their sustained participation in extracurricular physical activity through the sequential effects of intrinsic motivation in physical education (IMPE) and intrinsic motivation in extracurricular physical activity (IMECPA), as well as through the perceived benefits of sports participation and loss aversion elicited by extracurricular physical activity.
Source: Frontiers in Psychology
Authors: Jing Bai, Linlin Li, Zheyu Zhang
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7221041212