Based on self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), an experimental study with middle school students participating in a physical education task and a correlational study with highly talented sport students investigated the motivating role of positive competence feedback on participants' well-being, performance, and intention to participate. In Study 1, structural equation modeling favored the hypothesized motivational model, in which, after controlling for pretask perceived competence and competence valuation, feedback positively predicted competence satisfaction, which in turn predicted higher levels of vitality and greater intentions to participate, through the mediation of autonomous motivation. No effects on performance were found. Study 2 further showed that autonomous motivation mediated the relation between competence satisfaction and well-being, whereas amotivation mediated the negative relation between competence satisfaction and ill-being and rated performance. The discussion focuses on the motivational role of competence feedback in sports and physical education settings.

The purpose of the present studies was twofold: (a) to describe the spectrum of goals adopted in physical education, and, (b) to relate forced-choice reports of goal orientations to open-ended, qualitative ones. Elementary (n = 139) and middle school (n = 342) physical education students participated in two studies. Results indicated that mastery approach goals included strong elements of social goals, (b) mastery avoidance goals were nonexistent, questioning their presence in physical education, (c) performance approach goals involved strong elements of mastery approach goals and social goals, and, (d) performance avoidance goals involved high frequencies of mastery goals and affectivity goals. Also, the relationship between students' forced selection of goal orientations and their responses to open-ended questions was rather low. It is concluded that multiple goals are most likely operative in achievement contexts and researchers may need to focus on their combination in order to understand students' achievement strivings.