Self-Determination Theory Applied to Physical Education: The Role of Self-Regulatory Processes in Facilitating High-Quality Student Motivation, Engagement, and Well-Being.

Physical education (PE) can facilitate lifelong physical activity (PA), fitness, and holistic development in children and adolescents. Yet, global evidence shows a gap between recommended and actual PA levels among youth. Understanding student motivation (viz., why they are moved to act) is essential to addressing this public health issue. To this end, researchers have increasingly employed self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2017) to understand the conditions that foster high-quality motivation and thriving in PE and those that contribute to a lack of motivation, ill-being, and disengagement. This chapter overviews SDT’s core propositions, focusing on those most extensively tested in PE settings. Here, we synthesise empirical work that has explored (1) the nature and supports of intrinsic motivation, (2) SDT’s multidimensional perspective of motivation, reviewing why regulatory styles of varying ‘quality’ are differentially associated with adaptive and maladaptive student outcomes, (3) the proposition that three basic psychological needs (viz., for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) are essential for student wellness and thriving in PE, whereas frustration of these needs are linked to greater student ill-being and diminished functioning, (4) the impact of need-supportive and need-thwarting teaching practices and social environments on engagement, well-being, and thriving; and (5) practical strategies to foster high-quality motivation in PE settings. The chapter concludes with key recommendations for advancing research, including the development of innovative, culturally relevant interventions, the use of longitudinal methodologies, and improved psychometric tools to deepen understanding of motivation and well-being in PE contexts.