Physical Education intervention based on motivational theories: relatioship with physical activity and multiple intelligences

Abstract

This research proposes a physical education intervention based on teaching strategies derived from Self-Determination Theory and Achievement Goals Theory, aiming to enhance physical activity participation and the development of multiple intelligences in 5^th and 6^th grade primary school students. The study sample consisted of 230 students, 88 participants from control group and 142 participants from experimental group. The Enkid and FITNESSGRAM questionnaires were used to measure physical activity, the basic psychological needs support questionnaire, the physical education motivation questionnaire and the multiple intelligences questionnaire. The results show that the practice of physical activity is positively related to basic psychological needs, to intrinsic and identified motivation and to some intelligences such as linguistic, mathematical, bodily and interpersonal. Finally, once the intervention was over, the students in the experimental group showed higher levels in the practice of PA, in the need for autonomy, in intrinsic motivation, as well as in bodily-kinaesthetic and musical intelligences compared to the students in the control group.