Self-Efficacy, Perceived Social Support and Teacher Feedback as Predictors of Attitude Towards Physical Education

Abstract

In a developing and changing world, more passive lifestyle is adopted and the activity needs of young people are ignored. In this context, it is considered that it is important that young people turn to physical activity in order to meet their activity needs and get rid of the negative effects of passive life. On the other hand, it has been determined that the student's interest towards physical education courses, which are supposed to offer equal opportunities to young people in physical activity participation, has decreased in time. Therefore, it is considered important to determine the factors that affect the attitude towards physical education. In this way, it is believed that the quality of education will increase and a healthier young society will be formed. The aim of this study is to determine whether self-efficacy, perceived social support and teacher feedback perceptions of middle school students are a significant predictor of physical education attitude. The study group consisted of 520 (267 female, 253 male) students that studying at 6th, 7th and 8th grades of three different middle schools in Erzincan. ‘The Physical Education Predisposition Scale’, ‘Perceived Social Support Scale’ and ‘Perceived Teacher Feedback Scale’ were used to collect data. ANOVA, simple and multiple linear regression analyzes were used in the data analysis. The results of the research show that self-efficacy towards physical education, perceived peer support, perceived positive nonverbal teacher feedback and performance information feedback are positive predictors of attitude toward physical education and negative nonverbal teacher feedback is negative predictor of attitude toward physical education. Finally, the most important variable that predict the attitude towards physical education was determined as a teacher feedback, perception of self-efficacy and social support towards physical education followed.