A longitudinal study of student attitudes towards physical education: Examining developmental trajectories,perceived benefits,and barriers across grades 7–12
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2026
A longitudinal study of student attitudes towards physical education: Examining developmental trajectories,perceived benefits,and barriers across grades 7–12
This longitudinal study examined changes in students’ attitudes towards physical education (PE) over three years across grades 7–12, investigating the predictive roles of perceived benefits and barriers, and satisfaction with school sports facilities, while exploring differences by gender and school level. Data were collected from 324 students (143 boys, 181 girls) across 13 schools in Athens, Greece, over three annual measurements, with participants divided into middle school (grades 7–9, n = 152) and high school (grades 10–12, n = 172) cohorts. Students completed validated measures assessing cognitive and affective attitudes towards PE, perceived benefits and barriers, and satisfaction with school sports facilities. Mixed-design multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant temporal changes for both cognitive and affective attitudes, with linear declining trends across measurement occasions. Middle school students showed a consistent decline in attitude, while high school students demonstrated different patterns based on gender, with a significant three-way interaction concerning cognitive attitudes. Between-subjects effects revealed school-level differences in cognitive attitudes and gender differences in both attitude types. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that perceived benefits and barriers together explained 21–31% of the variance in Year 3 attitudes. For middle school students, perceived benefits emerged as the strongest predictor for both cognitive and affective attitudes. For high school students, perceived barriers dominated predictions for both attitude types. School sports facility satisfaction was not a significant predictor, except for high school students’ affective attitudes. Results suggest interventions should enhance perceived benefits during middle school while emphasising barrier reduction for high school students.
AbósÁSevilJJuliánJA, et al. (2017) Improving students’ predisposition towards physical education by optimizing their motivational processes in an acrosport unit. European Physical Education Review23(4): 444–460.
2.
AhmadiANoetelMParkerP, et al. (2023) A classification system for teachers’ motivational behaviors recommended in self-determination theory interventions. Journal of Educational Psychology115(8): 1158–1176.
3.
AjzenI (1985) From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In: KuhlJBeckmannJ (eds) Action Control: From Cognition to Behavior. New York: Springer, 11–39.
4.
AjzenI (1991) The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes50: 179–211.
5.
AjzenI (2002) Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology32(4): 665–683.
6.
AjzenI (2005) Attitudes, Personality, and Behavior, 2nd ed.Berkshire: Open University Press.
7.
AyanwaleMAMolefiRRMatsieN (2023) Modelling secondary school students’ attitudes toward TVET subjects using social cognitive and planned behavior theories. Social Sciences & Humanities Open8(1): 100478.
8.
BaileyR (2006) Physical education and sport in schools: A review of benefits and outcomes. Journal of School Health76(8): 397–404.
9.
BalgaTAntalaBArgajováJ (2019) Attitudes of elementary school pupils towards physical education and their differentiation from the point of view of age, sporting level and gender. Journal of Physical Education and Sport19(1): 552–559.
10.
CaseyMEimeRPayneW, et al. (2009) Using a socioecological approach to examine participation in sport and physical activity among rural adolescent girls. Qualitative Health Research19(7): 881–893.
11.
ChatzisarantisNLHaggerMS (2005) Effects of a brief intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on leisure-time physical activity participation. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology27(4): 470–487.
12.
CheonSHReeveJMoonIS (2012) Experimentally based, longitudinally designed, teacher-focused intervention to help physical education teachers be more autonomy supportive toward their students. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology34(3): 365–396.
13.
CohenJ (1988) Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, 2nd ed.Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
14.
ConstantinidesPSilvermanS (2018) Cypriot urban elementary students’ attitude toward physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education37(1): 69–77.
15.
CurranPJObeidatKLosardoD (2010) Twelve frequently asked questions about growth curve modeling. Journal of Cognition and Development11(2): 121–136.
16.
DeciELRyanRM (2000) The ‘what’ and ‘why’ of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry11(4): 227–268.
17.
DonovanCBMercierKPhillipsSR (2015) Investigating attitudes toward physical education: Validation across two instruments. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science19(2): 91–98.
18.
DuffeyKBarbosaAWhitingS, et al. (2021) Barriers and facilitators of physical activity participation in adolescent girls: A systematic review of systematic reviews. Frontiers in Public Health9: 743935.
19.
EvangelouEDigelidisN (2018) Students’ attitudes and predispositions toward physical education in Greece. Journal of Physical Education and Sport18(3): 1624–1631.
20.
FrühaufAHundhausenFKoppM (2022) Better together? Analyzing experiences from male and female students and teachers from single-sex and coeducational physical education classes. Behavioral Sciences12(9): 306.
21.
GutholdRStevensGARileyLM, et al. (2020) Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: A pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1.6 million participants. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health4(1): 23–35.
22.
HaggerMSChatzisarantisNBiddleSJH (2002) A meta-analytic review of the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior in physical activity: Predictive validity and the contribution of additional variables. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology24: 3–32.
23.
HaggerMSChatzisarantisNLD (2016) The trans-contextual model of autonomous motivation in education: Conceptual and empirical issues and meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research86(2): 360–407.
24.
HarterS (1999) The Construction of the Self: A Developmental Perspective. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
25.
JankauskieneRUrmanaviciusDBacevicieneM (2022) Association between motivation in physical education and positive body image: Mediating and moderating effects of physical activity habits. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health20(1): 464.
26.
KleppKIHelleveABrinsdenH, et al. (2023) Overweight and obesity prevention for and with adolescents: The ‘confronting obesity: Co-creating policy with youth’ (CO-CREATE) project. Obesity Reviews24: e13540.
27.
KrijgsmanCVansteenkisteMvan TartwijkJ, et al. (2017) Performance grading and motivational functioning and fear in physical education: A self-determination theory perspective. Learning and Individual Differences55: 202–211.
28.
La BarberaFAjzenI (2020) Control interactions in the theory of planned behavior: Rethinking the role of subjective norm. Europe’s Journal of Psychology16(3): 401–417.
29.
LaursenBVeenstraR (2021) Toward understanding the functions of peer influence: A summary and synthesis of recent empirical research. Journal of Research on Adolescence31(4): 889–907.
30.
LimaRFClementeFMValeRF (2018) Attitudes toward physical education in Portuguese schools: Middle and high school students. Human Movement19(4): 64–70.
31.
MartinsJCostaJSarmentoH, et al. (2021) Adolescents’ perspectives on the barriers and facilitators of physical activity: An updated systematic review of qualitative studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health18(9): 4954.
32.
MartinsJMarquesASarmentoH, et al. (2015) Adolescents’ perspectives on the barriers and facilitators of physical activity: A systematic review of qualitative studies. Health Education Research30(5): 742–755.
33.
MarttinenRMercierKParkJY, et al. (2024) A longitudinal look at student attitude, perceived competence, and fitness test performance of elementary students. International Journal of Physical Activity and Health3(2): 1.
34.
McEachanRRCConnerMTaylorNJ, et al. (2011) Prospective prediction of health-related behaviours with the theory of planned behaviour: A meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review5(2): 97–144.
35.
MercierKDonovanCGibboneA, et al. (2017) Three-year study of students’ attitudes toward physical education: Grades 4-8. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport88(3): 307–315.
36.
MonteiroDRodriguesFLopesVP (2021) Social support provided by the best friend and vigorous-intensity physical activity in the relationship between perceived benefits and global self-worth of adolescents. Revista de Psicodidáctica (English ed.)26(1): 70–77.
37.
MooreREdmondsonLGregoryM, et al. (2023) Barriers and facilitators to physical activity and further digital exercise intervention among inactive British adolescents in secondary schools: A qualitative study with physical education teachers. Frontiers in Public Health11: 1193669.
38.
MurfayKBeighleAErwinH, et al. (2022) Examining high school student perceptions of physical education. European Physical Education Review28(3): 704–719.
39.
NathanNEltonBBabicM, et al. (2018) Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of physical activity policies in schools: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine107: 45–53.
40.
NtoumanisNBiddleSJH (1999) A review of motivational climate in physical activity. Journal of Sports Sciences17(8): 643–665.
41.
OldervikSLagestadP (2021) Importance of providing additional choices in relation to pupils’ happiness, mastery, well-being, contentment, and level of physical activity in physical education. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living3: 599953.
42.
PapaioannouA (1994) Development of a questionnaire to measure achievement orientations in physical education. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport65(1): 11–20.
43.
PereiraPSantosFMarinhoDA (2020) Examining Portuguese high school students’ attitudes toward physical education. Frontiers in Psychology11: 604556.
44.
PhillipsSSilvermanS (2012) Development of an instrument to assess fourth and fifth-grade students’ attitudes toward physical education. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science16(4): 316–327.
45.
PhillipsSRSilvermanS (2015) Upper elementary school student attitudes toward physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education34(3): 461–473.
46.
ReeveJCheonSH (2021) Autonomy-supportive teaching: Its malleability, benefits, and potential to improve educational practice. Educational Psychologist56(1): 54–77.
47.
RobbinsLBPenderNJKazanisAS (2003) Barriers to physical activity perceived by adolescent girls. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health48(3): 206–212.
48.
RobbinsLBSikorskiiAHamelLM, et al. (2009) Gender comparisons of perceived benefits of and barriers to physical activity in middle school youth. Research in Nursing & Health32(2): 163–176.
49.
RobbinsLBWuTYSikorskiiA, et al. (2008) Psychometric assessment of the adolescent physical activity perceived benefits and barriers scales. Journal of Nursing Measurement16(2): 98–112.
50.
RosselliMErminiETosiB, et al. (2020) Gender differences in barriers to physical activity among adolescents. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases30(9): 1582–1589.
51.
RullestadAMelandEMildestvedtT (2021) Factors predicting physical activity and sports participation in adolescence. Journal of Environmental and Public Health2021(1): 9105953.
52.
SäfvenbomRHaugenTBulieM (2015) Attitudes toward and motivation for PE. Who collects the benefits of the subject?Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy20(6): 629–646.
53.
SilvermanS (2017) Attitude research in physical education: A review. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education36(3): 303–312.
54.
SlaterATiggemannM (2010) Body image and disordered eating in adolescent girls and boys: A test of objectification theory. Sex Roles63(1): 42–49.
55.
SubramaniamPRMercierK (2017) Attitudes matter in physical education. International Journal of Physical Education54(4): 22–30.
56.
SubramaniamPRSilvermanS (2007) Middle school students’ attitudes toward physical education. Teaching and Teacher Education23(5): 602–611.
57.
TabachnickBGFidellLS (2019) Using Multivariate Statistics, 7th ed.Boston: Pearson.
58.
VasconcellosDParkerPDHillandT, et al. (2020) Self-determination theory applied to physical education: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology112(7): 1444–1469.
59.
WangLChenR (2022) Psychological needs satisfaction, self-determined motivation, and physical activity of students in physical education: Comparison across gender and school levels. European Journal of Sport Science22(10): 1577–1585.
60.
WangYHollettNL (2022) Cognitive, affective, and global attitude toward physical activity with different intensities. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology20(2): 551–568.
61.
WeeldenburgGBorghoutsLLaakTVD, et al. (2022) Targeting secondary school students’ motivation towards physical education: The role of student-perceived mastery climate teaching strategies. PloS One17(9): e0274964.
62.
ZengHZWangYWangX (2016) A study of Chinese collegiate attitudes toward physical education. International Research in Higher Education1(2): 1–11.
