A longitudinal study of psychological needs satisfaction, value, achievement, and elective music intentions

Abstract

This study aimed to explain motivational factors that influence students’ intentions to continue studying music in high school and their achievement in high school music. The participants were 180 male Year 7 and 8 students in a high school in Australia. Principles of self-determination theory were used to hypothesize a structural equation model (SEM), in which the satisfaction of basic psychological needs predicted students’ valuing of music as a school subject, as well as their intentions to continue and their achievement. A two-wave longitudinal design was used to account for prior variance in the dependent variables and to expand on prior, cross-sectional research. The SEM explained 73.1% of the variance in music elective intentions, 60.7% of the variance in students’ valuing of music, and 53.7% of estimated grade. The findings build on existing research regarding the importance of psychological needs satisfaction in the domain of music and the longitudinal findings lend further support for causal links between the fulfillment of basic psychological needs and the internalization of values in the domain of music education. The results and implications for future research and practicing teachers are discussed.

From Autonomy Support and Grit to Satisfaction With Life Through Self-Determined Motivation and Group Cohesion in Higher Education

“…In particular, regarding autonomy, the action of choosing voluntarily, in a self-determined way, promotes intrinsic motivation and greater effort in tasks ( Meng and Ma, 2015 ). Although various studies have approached BPN in a discriminated way, others ( Orsini et al, 2018 ; Kingsford-Smith and Evans, 2019 ; Li et al, 2019 ; Tavernier et al, 2019 ) have done it jointly, showing unanimity regarding positive adaptive results. To nurture students’ BPNs, teachers as social triggers must adopt an interactional style that supports autonomy, which implies instructing in the possibility of choice, building learning based on the design of a clearly defined structure, and promoting relationships between students ( Soenens et al, 2018 ).…”

A PRISMA review of expectancy-value theory in music contexts

“…As reported in our analysis of topics covered, expectancy-value beliefs positively contributed to students’ continued music participation and learning (e.g., Amundson, 2012; Lowe & Coy, 2016), intentions to study music (e.g., Freer & Evans, 2018; Kingsford-Smith & Evans, 2019), and intentions to pursue a career in music (e.g., Parkes & Jones, 2011, 2012) However, no interventional studies were found. In other domains, there have been an increasing number of expectancy-value theory-based interventional studies (see Harackiewicz & Priniski, 2018; Rosenzweig & Wigfield, 2016).…”

“…Qualitative findings suggested that the decline in value toward music may be related to the activities presented during Year 8 music classes. On the other hand, Kingsford-Smith and Evans (2019) found that values toward music of 180 seventh- and eighth-grade students did not significantly predict intentions to study music as an elective. Instead, psychological needs satisfaction (i.e., perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness; Deci & Ryan, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2017) in music classes was a predictor of their intention to study music as an elective and their value toward music.…”

“…Salient topics covered included students’ expectancy-value beliefs across music and other school subjects (e.g., McPherson & O’Neill, 2010; Portowitz et al, 2010; Seog et al, 2011; Xie & Leung, 2011), continued music participation (e.g., Amundson, 2012; Sichivitsa, 2007; Simpkins, Vest, & Becnel, 2010), continued music learning (e.g., Lowe, 2007, 2008a, 2011a; Lowe & Coy, 2016), intentions to study music as an elective (e.g., Freer & Evans, 2018; Kingsford-Smith & Evans, 2019; McEwan, 2006, 2013), intentions to pursue a career in music (e.g., Jones & Parkes, 2010; Parkes & Jones, 2011, 2012) and parental influences (e.g., Fredricks et al, 2006; Juvonen, 2019).…”

Motivation to make music matters: Daily autonomous motivation, flow, and well-being in hobby musicians.

“…Most of SDT music research has been conducted with students of classical music at universities, conservatoires or middle-schools (e.g., Evans & Bonneville-Roussy, 2016; Schatt, 2018; Valenzuela et al, 2018). In music lessons, parents and teachers commonly use external motivators, although music education researchers recommend providing opportunities for need fulfillment to internalize motivation (Evans, 2015; Kingsford-Smith & Evans, 2021). For instance, findings point to positive associations of fulfillment of psychological needs and autonomous motivation with the frequency and quality of music practice (Evans & Bonneville-Roussy, 2016).…”