Childrenís Perceived Competence and Enjoyment in Physical Education and Physical Activity Outside School

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship of children’s perceived competence in physical education to their enjoyment in the subject, and how boys and girls scoring high and low in enjoyment and perceived competence differed in their levels of physical activity. Year 6 primary school children (n= 922) completed questionnaires giving their physical activity the previous week, their perceived competence in, and enjoyment of, PE. Employing correlation, multivariate and univariate analysis of variance techniques, the results indicated moderate positive and significant relationships between enjoyment in PE and perceived competence in PE for the whole sample (r= .39, p< 0.001). Children of high perceived competence participated in significantly more physical activity (quantity and intensity) outside school than those of low perceived competence, but there was no difference in enjoyment levels and quantityof physical activity. The boys scored higher than the girls on time spent on physical activity,on perceived competence and enjoyment. Motivation theory is utilized to examine the relationship of perceived competence and enjoyment in physical education to physical activity outside school.