Children's goal profiles and perceptions of the motivational climate: Interactive association with self-determined motivation and affective patterns in physical education.

Developing an understanding of youngster’s motivation for physical education (PE) is becoming increasingly important. This study examined the interactive effects of children’s multiple goal profiles and perceptions of the motivational climate on indices of self-determined motivation and affect in 429 students (201 boys, 228 girls; M age = 11.2, SD = .39) in northwest England. MANOVA results revealed a significant (p < .05) main effect for goal profiles and perceived motivational climate. Moreover, a significant interaction between goal profiles and perceived climate was found: Children with high mastery/high performance profiles had high levels of intrinsic motivation and identified regulation, regardless of the climate. In contrast, other profile groups (i.e., high mastery/low performance, low mastery/high performance, low mastery/low performance) were more likely to have high levels of intrinsic motivation and identified regulation from exposure to a perceived mastery climate. These results are discussed in terms of the contribution they appear to make to recent analyses of multiple goals.