Testing a social-competence model in Finnish physical education in association to physical activity intentions and self-reported physical activity

This study investigated whether social competence in physical education (PE) contributed the interconnection between psychological environments in PE, physical activity (PA) motivation, leisure-time PA intention and overall PA. Cross-sectional data from two Finnish schools including 363 (172 girls, 191 boys) elementary school children aged between 10- to 12-years were analyzed. Specifically, cross-sectional associations between motivational climate in PE, self-determined PA motivation during leisure-time, leisure-time PA intentions, and overall PA were tested. The current motivational model emerged positive direct paths from task-involving climate to cooperation, empathy, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and intention, which in turn, had a positive association their overall PA. The study provides evidence for the importance of social competence on motivation and PA aligned with Self-determination Theory. Children’s motivation that is contributed of social competence is associated with PA intention and overall PA. This psychological factor represents potential malleable target for interventions to increase children’s PA.