{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T05:54:13Z","timestamp":1791179653916,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791158400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Although policy initiatives emphasize improving students\u2019 physical health, physical education (PE) classes continue to rely predominantly on traditional teacher-centered approaches, often resulting in insufficient class engagement. Existing research has examined motivational climates, basic psychological needs, intrinsic motivation, and class engagement, yet most studies adopt a single theoretical perspective, offer limited exploration of mediating mechanisms, and provide scarce empirical evidence within the Chinese educational context.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Data were collected from 1,146 middle school students across five schools in Shandong and Jiangsu provinces using adapted Chinese versions of scales measuring motivational climate, basic psychological needs, intrinsic motivation, and class engagement. Structural equation modeling and bootstrap methods were employed to test the hypotheses.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A mastery climate positively predicted students\u2019 autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs. A performance climate also positively predicted all three basic psychological needs. Autonomy and competence needs positively predicted intrinsic motivation, whereas relatedness need showed no significant predictive effect. Intrinsic motivation positively predicted student engagement. Mediation analyses revealed that basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation did not form a significant sequential mediating pathway between mastery climate and class engagement. In contrast, a performance climate exerted a positive sequential mediating effect on class engagement through basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation mediated the relationships of autonomy and competence needs with class engagement, but did not mediate the link between relatedness need and engagement.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To enhance class engagement in PE, it is recommended to optimize the class motivational climates and to deliberately support students\u2019 autonomy and competence needs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1913633","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T05:31:19Z","timestamp":1791178279000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Motivational climate, basic psychological needs, intrinsic motivation, and engagement in Chinese students during physical education classes"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Jun","family":"Zhao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School, Harbin Sport University","place":["China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qiang","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education, Jining University","place":["Qufu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"138","DOI":"10.1123\/jtpe.2015-0010","article-title":"Student perceptions of instructional choices in middle school physical education","volume":"35","author":"Agbuga","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Teach. Phys. Educ."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-0663.84.3.261","article-title":"Classrooms: goals, structures, and student motivation","volume":"84","author":"Ames","year":"1992","journal-title":"J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1459","DOI":"10.1177\/0146167211413125","article-title":"Self-determination theory and diminished functioning: the role of interpersonal control and psychological need thwarting","volume":"37","author":"Bartholomew","year":"2011","journal-title":"Personality Soc. Psychol. Bulletin"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1687","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-020-09750-x","article-title":"Motivational climate, need satisfaction, self-determined motivation, and physical activity of students in secondary school physical education in China","volume":"20","author":"Chen","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychsport.2017.11.010","article-title":"A needs-supportive intervention to help PE teachers enhance students\u2019 prosocial behavior and diminish antisocial behavior","volume":"35","author":"Cheon","year":"2018","journal-title":"Psychol. Sport Exerc."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4899-2271-7","volume-title":"Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in human Behavior","author":"Deci","year":"1985"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1207\/s15327965pli1104_01","article-title":"The \u201cwhat\u201d and \u201cwhy\u201d of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior","volume":"11","author":"Deci","year":"2000","journal-title":"Psychol. Inq."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-295X.95.2.256","article-title":"A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality","volume":"95","author":"Dweck","year":"1988","journal-title":"Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref9001","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.80.3.501","article-title":"A 2 \u00d7 2 achievement goal framework","volume":"80","author":"Elliot","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1177\/1356336X18816997","article-title":"Autonomy support, motivational climate, enjoyment and perceived competence in physical education: impact of a hybrid teaching games for understanding\/sport education unit","volume":"26","author":"Gil-Arias","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur. Phys. Educ. Rev."},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.70252\/wmeq3863","article-title":"Perceptions of motivational climate, goal orientations, and light-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity engagement of a sample of Finnish grade 5 to 9 students","volume":"9","author":"Grasten","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Exerc. Sci."},{"key":"ref11","first-page":"318","article-title":"A motivational model of physical education and links to enjoyment, knowledge, performance, total physical activity and body mass index","volume":"16","author":"Gr\u00e5st\u00e9n","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Sports Sci. Med."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1781","DOI":"10.1177\/00315125231178341","article-title":"The roles of perceived physical education competence, enjoyment, and persistence on middle school students\u2019 physical activity engagement","volume":"130","author":"Guan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Percept. Mot. Skills"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"854279","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.854279","article-title":"The relationship between empowering motivational climate in physical education and social adaptation of senior high school students: an analysis of chain mediating effect","volume":"13","author":"Guo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1080\/1612197X.2014.947304","article-title":"How perceived autonomy support from adults and peer motivational climate are related with self-determined motivation among young athletes","volume":"13","author":"Hein","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Sport Exerc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.learninstruc.2015.09.001","article-title":"Are both classroom autonomy support and structure equally important for students\u2019 engagement? A multilevel analysis","volume":"41","author":"Hospel","year":"2016","journal-title":"Learn. Instr."},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.15942\/j.jcsu.2025.06.10","article-title":"Effects of need-supportive teaching on fundamental motor skills among senior primary school students: the serial mediating role of basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation","volume":"51","author":"Hu","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Chengdu Sport University"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"594","DOI":"10.1177\/1356336X211063568","article-title":"The relationships among motivational climate, perceived competence, physical performance, and affects during physical education fitness testing lessons","volume":"28","author":"Huhtiniemi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur. Phys. Educ. Rev."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102864","DOI":"10.1016\/j.humov.2021.102864","article-title":"Relatedness support enhances motivation, positive affect, and motor learning in adolescents","volume":"79","author":"Kaefer","year":"2021","journal-title":"Hum. Mov. Sci."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1027\/1614-2241.1.3.86","article-title":"Sufficient sample sizes for multilevel modeling","volume":"1","author":"Maas","year":"2005","journal-title":"Methodology (G\u00f6ttingen)"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.15942\/j.jcsu.2025.07.08","article-title":"Accelerating the improvement of weaknesses in physical education to support the construction of a strong educational country: the missions and tasks of school physical education assigned by the outline of the National Plan for building a strong educational country (2024\u20132035)","volume":"51","author":"Mao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Journal of Chengdu Sport University"},{"key":"ref21","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1348\/000709901158497","article-title":"A self-determination approach to the understanding of motivation in physical education","volume":"71","author":"Ntoumanis","year":"2001","journal-title":"Br. J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"279","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1014805132406","article-title":"Associations among perceived autonomy support, forms of self-regulation, and persistence: a prospective study","volume":"25","author":"Pelletier","year":"2001","journal-title":"Motiv. Emot."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.88.5.879","article-title":"Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies","volume":"88","author":"Podsakoff","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6145","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17176145","article-title":"The relationship between teachers\u2019 and peers\u2019 motivational climates, needs satisfaction, and physical education grades: an AGT and SDT approach","volume":"17","author":"Rodrigues","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.55.1.68","article-title":"Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being","volume":"55","author":"Ryan","year":"2000","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1521\/978.14625\/28806","volume-title":"Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness","author":"Ryan","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref28","first-page":"137","article-title":"Factorial validity and internal consistency of the motivational climate in physical education scale","volume":"13","author":"Soini","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Sports Sci. Med."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-0663.95.1.97","article-title":"A model of contextual motivation in physical education: using constructs from self-determination and achievement goal theories to predict physical activity intentions","volume":"95","author":"Standage","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1348\/000709904X22359","article-title":"A test of self-determination theory in school physical education","volume":"75","author":"Standage","year":"2005","journal-title":"Br. J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref31","volume-title":"Motivation to learn: From Theory to Practice","author":"Stipek","year":"1993"},{"key":"ref32","volume-title":"Advances in Experimental social Psychology","author":"Vallerand","year":"1997"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"583","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychsport.2011.07.003","article-title":"The revised perceived locus of causality in physical education scale: psychometric evaluation among youth","volume":"12","author":"Vlachopoulos","year":"2011","journal-title":"Psychol. Sport Exerc."},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"462","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.74.3.462","article-title":"Lack of method variance in self-reported affect and perceptions at work: reality or artifact?","volume":"74","author":"Williams","year":"1989","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"416","DOI":"10.1123\/jtpe.2021-0006","article-title":"Basic psychological needs, motivation, engagement, and disaffection in Mexican students during physical education classes","volume":"40","author":"Zamarripa","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Teach. Phys. Educ."},{"key":"ref36","volume-title":"The Effects of Interpersonal Support on Sports Participation among senior high school Students in Specialized Physical Education (Doctoral Dissertation)","author":"Zhang","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"25799","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-76803-1","article-title":"Revision and validation of the \u201cmotivational climate in physical education scale\u201d (MCPES) in Chinese educational context","volume":"14","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1913633\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T05:31:22Z","timestamp":1791178282000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1913633\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"references-count":38,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1913633"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1913633","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"article-number":"1913633"}}