Analyzing the Contribution of Student-Perceived Motivational Climate to Predict Student Goal Adoption in Physical Education: Testing Invariance Relative to Teacher-Induced Climate

Based on achievement goal theory, this study aimed to verify if relationships between student-perceived motivational climate and student achievement goals differ by teacher-induced climates in physical education (PE). A sample of 651 French Canadian students and 23 PE teachers (categorized in three clusters) completed self-report questionnaires. To verify if the climate–goals relationships differ according to the teacher-induced climate, this study conducted a multigroup invariance analysis. The results revealed full invariance across groups for means and intercepts. However, only partial invariance was observed for variance, covariances, structural weights, and residuals, indicating that, despite disparities between students’ and teachers’ perceptions, the teacher-induced climate seems to play a role in students’ goal adoption in PE. This study refines current understanding of the climate–goals relationship by considering the teachers’ perspective of their practices in PE. Practical implications are discussed. Subscribe to TPE