Wang, John Chee Keng

This study examined the relationships between the approach-avoidance dimension, as well as the mastery-performance dimension of achievement goals, implicit theory of intelligence, and behavioral regulations among engineering students in a polytechnic in the academic domain. Polytechnic students (n = 1359) from Singapore participated in the survey. They were assessed on achievement goal orientations, implicit beliefs, behavioral regulations, values, effort and enjoyment towards their course of study using questionnaires. Cluster analysis was conducted and the results showed that five distinct clusters could differentiate the students in terms of their achievement goals profiles. Follow-up tests between the clusters showed that the five clusters had differing psychological characteristics, and differing values, effort, and enjoyment towards their course of study. Taken together, the present study offers some insights into intraindividual‟s differences in achievement goals and its impact and offers some useful implications for interventions.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a guided reflection intervention for high performance basketball coaches. The study participants included two head basketball coaches and 10 of their players who were part of elite youth teams in Singapore. The coaches were highly experienced, each with 17 and 20 years of coaching experience respectively, and the players from both teams (one male and one female) reported on average three years of playing experience at the national youth level. The Singapore coaching behavior scale for sport (CBS-S basketball), on-site observations, and interviews were used to gather data from the coaches and players. Coaches also kept a reflective journal throughout the intervention. The results showed how the coaches responded differently to the guided reflection intervention (implemented by the first author) in terms of their willingness to adapt and integrate new perspectives into their coaching practice. The coaches’ level of reflection was found to be contingent upon a) their motivation and desire to be engaged in the process and b) the worth they saw in the learning facilitator’s recommendations to improve their athletes’ technical and tactical development. The results also showed how the coaches’ behaviors were linked to players’ satisfaction level with their work. The results are discussed using the coaching science literature and practical implications are proposed to optimize coaches’ use of reflection as a learning tool to improve their coaching practice.

As winning margins narrow in competitive elite sports, the management of psychological and physiological states are critical to ensure optimal performance, especially in closed skill accuracy sports. This intervention study examines the effectiveness of an integrated mental skills and biofeedback training program on fifty air rifle and air pistol shooters from a school air weapons team. The experimental group participated in an intervention program focused on self-talk, relaxation, imagery, and automaticity (or routines), together with HRV biofeedback training. Post-intervention, the experimental group had significantly higher pre-performance HRV and had higher scores for self-talk, relaxation, imagery, and automaticity compared to the control group. Although shooting scores improved at the end of the intervention, the increase was not statistically significant but has great practical implications in elite sport. The improvement in HRV together with the higher shooting scores post-intervention shows improved psychophysiological control which was translated into better performance.

The purpose of this study was to examine individual- and classroom-level differences in the longitudinal change in motivational regulations during physical education students’ transition from elementary (Grade 6) across middle school (Grades 7 to 9). A sample of 757 Finnish adolescents (M = 12.71, SD = 0.23) participated in this study. Participants of the study responded to questionnaires collected six times. A multilevel latent growth modelling approach was used to analyze the data. Results showed that motivational regulations in physical education developed at different rates during middle school. More specifically, students’: (a) identified regulation increased across Grades 6 to 9; (b) amotivation increased during middle school transition from Grade 6 to 7; and (c) introjected regulation declined from Grade 8 to 9. Other motivational regulations remained stable across time. The changes in amotivation and introjected regulation were largely due to individual factors, whereas the changes in identified regulation were due to environmental factors.

The 3-year longitudinal study of a single cohort (N = 495, average age 13) in Singapore used cluster analytic approach to identify trajectories of adolescents’ academic self concept and their perceptions of home environment and classroom climate. Four trajectories were identified. They were (1) steeply decreasing, (2) consistently low, (3) moderate and maintaining, and (4) consistently high. Higher-ability stream students were more likely than lower-ability stream students to be in the steeply decreasing group, while adolescents with better Secondary 1 and 2 class positions were more likely to be in the consistently high group. The results suggest that there are unique groups of adolescents in Singapore secondary schools. Some adolescents may have difficulties in adjusting to changes in adolescence; others may have struggled to cope long before they reach adolescence. Some adolescents may face minor ‘hiccups’ during adjustments while others may cope adequately on their own. As such, the notion of a single theory of adolescence may be too simplistic. Presumably, competing or conflicting theories of adolescence such as Hall’s (1904) ‘storm and stress’ theory and Rutter’s (1987) resiliency model may in fact all be relevant, albeit for different subgroups of youth.

Adolescence is a critical period in the study of physical activity (PA). Research evidence has shown that there is a decline in participation in P A in young people over their teenage years with ages 11 to 12 thought to be a critical age period at which PA begins to diminish. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between students' perceived autonomy support, behavioural regulations, and enjoyment in a physical education (PE) context, using a selfdetermination theory framework. Participants were 1854 secondary school students aged between 13 and 19 years from Singapore. Questionnaires were used to access perceived autonomy support, behavioural regulations, and enjoyment in PE. Results showed that perceived autonomy support predicted more self-determined forms of behavioural regulations in PE (intrinsic and identified) positively and negatively predicted more controlling forms of regulations (external and amotivation). Only intrinsic motivation positively predicted enjoyment. On the other hand, amotivation negatively predicted enjoyment. The findings highlight the importance of perceived autonomy support in fostering more self-determined forms of behavioural regulations and intrinsic motivation in school PE.

This study, undertaken in Singapore, investigates aspects of students' motivation in undertaking Project Work (PW), and explores the link between motivation and the quality of students' discourse during group discussions. It uses a Self-Determination framework to answer questions on students' perceived satisfaction ofbasic psychological needs, motivation and performance outcomes. Analysis of students' discourse during PW helped to substantiate survey findings, which showed that the participating students perceived satisfaction in the need for competence and relatedness, but less in autonomy support. Furthermore, many students were extrinsically motivated in PW, appreciating its value but not necessarily finding enjoyment in the process. Students' talk during PW group discussions tended to be of the practical (problem-solving) mode and cumulative (collaborative, non-critical) type. The findings suggest that, in order to enhance motivation and task engagement, students should be encouraged to share knowledge explicitly and to make their thinking visible through discourse.

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Teachers’ Perceived Beliefs about the Purposes of Physical Education Questionnaire. A total of 473 school physical education teachers in Singapore took part in the study. The sample was randomly split into two sets. An initial measurement model was assessed using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) based on the calibration sample (n = 235). Next, a modified measurement model was proposed based on the first CFA results and tested with the validation sample (n = 238). Finally, a two-stage factorial invariance analyses (Jöreskog & Sörbom, 1993) was employed to ensure concurrent validation for the modified model with both sample sets. The results showed that the cross validation of the modified measurement was not supported by the data of the two samples. Specifically, the factors of being a good citizen and self-esteem lacked convergent validity.