Motivational Processes and Psychosocial Development in Physical Education

Physical education (PE) is a distinctive educational context in which students learn through movement while developing beliefs, emotions, relationships, and behavioural patterns that may extend beyond the classroom. As an applied setting for educational and developmental psychology, PE offers a unique window into how motivational and psychosocial processes unfold through embodied, movement-based learning. The motivational quality of PE experiences can influence engagement, enjoyment, perceived competence, persistence, well-being, and the adoption of active lifestyles. Recent research has also highlighted the contribution of PE to psychosocial outcomes such as life skills, physical literacy, self-regulation, and social connectedness. However, evidence remains fragmented across theoretical traditions, educational contexts, and measurement approaches. A more integrated account is needed to understand how teachers, peers, and learning environments support or hinder positive development in PE.This Research Topic aims to advance theory-driven and methodologically robust research on motivational processes and psychosocial development in PE and related school-based physical activity settings, bridging educational psychology and movement science perspectives. It seeks to clarify how teacher-created climates, autonomy-supportive and controlling practices, basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, motivational regulations, and perceived competence are associated with students’ educational and developmental outcomes. Particular attention will be given to bright and dark motivational pathways, including engagement, enjoyment, intention to be physically active, disruptive behaviour, anxiety, disengagement, and experiences of exclusion. The collection also aims to strengthen the measurement of key constructs through the development, adaptation, and validation of brief, culturally grounded instruments. Studies examining teacher education, intervention design, movement-based learning processes, and cross-cultural differences are encouraged when they are explicitly connected to PE teaching and learning.Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:motivational climates and teacher behaviours in PE;Self-Determination Theory and other motivational frameworks;basic psychological needs, motivation, engagement, and behavioural outcomes;life skills, physical literacy, well-being, and sustainable physical activity habits;body-related experiences, social comparison, and perceived competence;inclusive and culturally responsive PE;PE teacher education and psychologically informed pedagogical interventions;psychometric development, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of assessment tools;motor learning and movement-based mechanisms linking motivation to psychosocial development.This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analyses, Conceptual Analyses, Perspectives, Study Protocols, and Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy articles. Topic editors: Gines David López García, Antonio Granero-Gallegos Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84323/motivational-processes-and-psychosocial-development-in-physical-education