Adaptation and Validation of the Motivation Scale in Physical Education Classes

With the purpose of adapting the sport motivation scale (Pelletier, Fortier, Vallerand, Tuscon, Briere, & Blais, 1995) to the population of students in the final grades of elementary school, that is, with the purpose of measuring their motivation in physical education classes, 305 female and male students of finishing grades were examined. All scales had good metric characteristics, except the unsatisfactory reliability of the external motivation – introjected variable. For both genders, measures of motivation are projected in two components, interpreted as intrinsic motivation, and as amotivation and external regulation. Male students expressed significantly higher values in both scales defining the second factor. The percentage of good and less cumulative grade point average was significantly higher for male students, whereas the percentage of very good and excellent cumulative grade point average was higher for female students. Discriminant analysis has shown that female students with a lower cumulative grade point average (good and satisfactory) were characterized by higher values of external regulation and of amotivation for participating in physical education classes. There were no significant differences found in either gender regarding the motivation in physical education classes in groups differing in their physical education grade point average.