Social cognitive theory has been extensively used in physical education (PE) settings. According to Bandura (1997), achievement behaviors can be explained and predicted by self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and satisfaction. Specifically, satisfaction is related to increased motivation, time spent in an activity, commitment to a team or activity, and intentions to remain in an activity. Few studies have investigated the relationships between children's social cognitive variables and their achievement-related cognitions and behaviors (e.g., physical activity [PA] levels) in PE. This study examined the predictive utility of children's self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and satisfaction on their perceived persistence/effort, PA levels, and cardiovascular fitness.
Method
Participants were 307 sixth through eighth graders (149 boys, 158 girls) enrolled in a 90-minute PE class on alternate days. Participants completed questionnaires assessing their self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, satisfaction (Gao et al., 2008), and perceived persistence/effort (Guan et al., 2006) in the last second week of the school year. Then they took the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test and their in-class PA levels were measured via pedometers (Yamax Digi-Walker SW-701) in the last week. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine how self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and satisfaction predicted children's persistence/effort, PA levels, and cardiovascular fitness.
Analysis/Results
Correlation analysis indicated that all variables were significantly associated with one another (rs = .17 to .59, ps < .01). Regression analyses yielded that outcome expectancy (β = .36, p <.01) and satisfaction (β = .34, p <.01) emerged as the significant predictors for persistence/effort, accounting for 25.48% and 9.54% of the variance, respectively. Children's self-efficacy (β = .28, p <.01), satisfaction (β = .18, p <.01), and outcome expectancy (β = .13, p <.05) significantly predicted their in-class PA levels, and explained 20.14%, 2.72% and 1.00% of the variance, respectively. Self-efficacy (β = .35, p <.01) was the only significant predictor for cardiovascular fitness, and accounted for 12.16% of the variance.
Conclusions
The results indicate that children who believe the likely positive consequences of PE and/or enjoy a sense of satisfaction of taking PE would persist or make great effort. Meanwhile, children with higher level of beliefs regarding their capabilities, the likely consequences of PE, and satisfaction displayed higher in-class PA levels. Children with higher competence beliefs also performed better on cardiovascular fitness test. The findings suggest that physical educators should consider the effects of different psychosocial factors on children's achievement-related cognitions and behaviors.
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