The Effects of Initiative Game Participation in a Summer Camp

Background/Purpose:  Self-determination theory addresses human innate needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2002). It is a promising theoretical framework that can help explain students’ motivation and behaviors in physical activity (PA) settings. To date, most SDT research has not addressed alternative PA settings such as summer sport camps or their activities. This study investigated how initiative games activities that require group co-operation and critical thinking influenced motivational and behavioral outcomes among at-risk boys using a quasi-experimental design.

Method: 100 at-risk boys aged 10-13 were divided into two groups. 50 received initiative game instruction as well as regular camp activities and 50 participated in regular camp activities only. In addition to performing the PACER test, each group completed three well-validated questionnaires - Perceived Instructor Support Questionnaire (PISQ), Psychological Needs Perception Questionnaire (PNPQ), Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-2) about their perceptions of the camp activities and instructors.  

Analysis/Results:  A MANOVA showed no significant differences in the three psychological needs and five motivational regulations between the two groups, Wilks’ λ = .945, F (3, 91) = 1.749, P = .163, η² = .055; Wilks’ λ = .940, F (5, 89) = 1.135, P = .348, η² = .060, respectively. However, univariate analyses of the five motivational regulations indicated a significant difference in external regulation, F (1, 93) = 5. 821, p = .018, with boys in regular camp activities only reporting higher external regulation. Multiple regressions indicated perceived autonomy support emerged as the only significant predictor of amotivation and introjected regulation, β = -.483, < .01; β = .410, < .01, accounting for 23% and 17% of variance, respectively. Additionally, perceived competence support emerged as the only significant predictor of identified and intrinsic regulations, β = .515, < .01; β = .607, < .01, accounting for 26% and 37% of variance, respectively. An independent t-test revealed no significant difference between PACER test results between the two groups. Interview data indicated boys in initiative games perceived social supportive behaviors from their instructor and were intrinsically motivated.

Conclusions:  Initiative game participation did not significantly influence motivational and behavioral changes among this population of boys. However, it was confirmed that the initiative games group were intrinsically motivated if they perceived social supportive behaviors from their instructor. The findings offer implications for how the social supportive behaviors of camp instructors can play an important role in promoting self-determined motivation during initiative games.