The aim of this study was to examine attitudes and intentions of physical education students toward teaching individuals with disabilities. The planned behavior model and two exogenous variables (attitude strength and role identity) were used to examine antecedents of students’ intentions for teaching individuals with disabilities in the future. The sample consisted of 99 university students taking adapted physical education courses. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that the role identity and attitude strength variables mediated the effects of subjective norms and attitudes toward behavior on intention. Also, perceived behavioral control was not a direct determinant of intention but affected the attitude strength variable. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical as well as practical implications for understanding attitude-behavior relationships in physical education for special populations. It seems that professionals’ intentions to work with individuals with disabilities are formed as part of their role identity in the society and are affected by professionals’ attitude confidence toward teaching individuals with disabilities.
The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure employee's job satisfaction in Greece. Exploratory factor-analytic results indicated a six-factor solution with high internal consistency. The six factors obtained were Working Conditions, Supervisor, Pay, Job Itself, Organization as a Whole, and Promotion. Structural equation modeling analysis (EQS) showed that although the fit of the model is fairly good, there is need for slight improvement.
The aim of the present study was to examine the relations of students' intrinsic motivation in physical education lessons with factors such as perceived locus of causality, perceived competence and outcome expectancies. Five hundred sixteen students of grades 7-12 participated in the study. The students were randomly selected from three schools located in a medium sized town in Greece. Perceived locus of causality was examined using Ryan and Connell's (1989) motivational orientation scales, while intrinsic motivation was assessed by means of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (Ryan, 1982). Outcome expectancies for ten possible outcomes of school physical education were assessed by means of two different scales, namely outcome evaluation and outcome likelihood. Causal modelling analysis showed that intrinsic motivation was mainly influenced by perceived usefulness which in turned was influenced by outcome expectations. Moreover, outcome expectations also influenced perceived locus of causality. These results show that students' outcome expectancies for their participation in school physical education is an important factor in)luencing their intrinsic motivation.
The aim of this study was to examine the ability of the Reasoned Action theory to predict exercise behavior of 56 children 10 to 11 yr. of age. Analysis showed that the Reasoned Action model's efficacy to predict exercise behavior of young children increased when the subjects' past behavior was entered in the analysis as an external variable. The regression of intention and behavior over exercise yielded significant multiple correlation coefficients of .52 and .70, respectively. Also, two variables of the Reasoned Action model (Behavioral Beliefs and Attitudes toward the Behavior) were strongly correlated with scores on the Children's Attitudes Toward Physical Activity. Although this inventory is a more general attitude scale, it may, in conjunction with Reasoned Action theory, satisfactorily contribute to the explanation of the exercise behavior.
The aim of the present study was to examine differences in motivation with respect to physical education of students who participate in after-school sport clubs and students who do not. 247 secondary school students responded to scales assessing intrinsic motivation, outcome expectancies, perceived competence, and perceived usefulness of physical education. Analysis showed that students in after-school sports exhibited a more positive motivational pattern regarding physical education with intrinsic motivation, outcome expectancies, and perceived competence making unique contributions to the overall difference.
To explore knowledge of and attitudes about children who have special needs, a questionnaire was submitted to 1145 persons (305 lyceum students, 94 teachers of secondary education, 247 medical students, 354 physical education students, and 145 persons having an exceptional child in their families). Questions concerned the knowledge of categories of children with special needs, acceptance of them in regular classrooms, and willingness to work with them. Analysis showed that most people including teachers had limited awareness of exceptional children, their problems, education, and integration. They showed partial acceptance of mainstreaming and desire to work with such children. Careful education for all, especially teachers, seems advisable.
To examine age differences and the internal structure of the Greek version of the Body Cathexis Scale, 152 women 18 to 45 yr. of age and participating in physical fitness programs took the scale. High internal consistency was evident: in item analysis rs ranged from .29 to .68, split-half r was .89, and Cronbach alpha .92. Factor analysis yielded six factors: (1) Physical Fitness, (2) Total Appearance, (3) Health and Skills, (4) Face, (5) Ears and Chin, and (6) Extremities. These explained 52.5% of the total variance. The higher body satisfaction was observed on the factors, Health and Skills, Ears and Chin, and Extremities. Multivariate analysis of variance of body satisfaction across factors indicated no differences.
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