Work

Positive error-handling in TGfU-based basketball instruction: effects on tactical decision-making and the role of perceived classroom psychological safety

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Basketball learning involves rapid decisions and visible mistakes that may carry interpersonal risk. This study examined whether positive error-handling within Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) improved tactical decision-making and whether improvements were associated with changes in perceived classroom psychological safety. Methods Sixty students (30 male and 30 female) were individually randomized within gender strata before formation of two instructional classes, with one class per condition ( n = 30 each). The same teacher delivered TGfU with positive error-handling (PEH) or neutral error-handling (NEH) over eight weeks. Tactical decision-making was assessed through standardized 3-on-3 games at pretest (T0), posttest (T1), and three-week retention (T2); psychological safety was assessed at T0 and T1. Passing, dribbling/driving, and shooting decisions were coded using the focused BALPAI rubric. Results Exploratory student-level analyses showed a condition × time interaction for decision-making, F (1.583, 91.821) = 9.89, p < 0.001, ηp 2 = 0.146. PEH increased from M = 1.951 (SD = 0.202) at T0 to 2.304 (0.258) at T1 and 2.295 (0.279) at T2; NEH increased from 1.902 (0.179) to 2.114 (0.251) and 2.087 (0.291). Psychological safety also showed a condition × time interaction, F (1, 58) = 11.07, p = 0.002, ηp 2 = 0.160. PEH increased by 0.462 points, whereas the NEH increase of 0.129 points was not statistically significant. An exploratory within-subject mediation analysis in PEH yielded a model-implied indirect effect of ab = 0.160, 95% bootstrap CI [0.100, 0.221]. Conclusion The PEH class showed larger observed gains within the common TGfU curriculum, and increases in psychological safety covaried with decision-making improvements. These concurrent changes suggest a possible explanatory role for psychological safety but do not establish temporal or causal mediation. With one instructional class per condition, classroom-specific influences could not be separated from the condition effect, and inferential statistics were not adjusted for within-class dependence. Future studies should include multiple classes per condition, account for within-class dependence, and assess psychological safety before subsequent decision-making outcomes to examine the proposed explanatory process.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1984425

Author: Shen Fan

Institution: Anyang Vocational and Technical College

Language: English

Topic: Physical Education and Pedagogy

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801