Factors Influencing Middle School Students' Learning Motivation in Physical Education: Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53863/mor.v6i1.1948Keywords:
motivation, Students, Middle School, Learning, Physical EducationAbstract
Student motivation is a key determinant of engagement and learning outcomes in junior high school Physical Education (PE), yet evidence indicates a decline in motivation during early adolescence. This study aimed to synthesize empirical findings on factors influencing students’ motivation in PE learning. A systematic literature review was conducted on 15 studies published between 2020 and 2025 and indexed in Scopus, Google Scholar, ERIC, and DOAJ. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results reveal that student motivation is influenced by three main domains: pedagogical, internal psychological, and social factors. Pedagogical factors particularly teacher autonomy support, activity variety, and mastery-oriented learning climates emerged as the most influential determinants of autonomous motivation and engagement. Internal psychological factors, such as perceived competence and task value, acted as key mediators, while social support from peers and families strengthened motivation indirectly. This review highlights the importance of student-centered instructional practices in enhancing motivation in junior high school Physical Education and suggests the need for longitudinal and intervention-based research, especially within the Indonesian context
References
Bailey, R., Hillman, C., Arent, S., & Petitpas, A. (2015). Physical Activity : An Underestimated Investment in Human Capital ? 289–308.
Botella. (2021). Flipped Learning to improve students ’ motivation in Physical Education. Acta Gymnica, 51. https://doi.org/10.5507/ag.2021.012
Chen. (2020). Motivational climate , need satisfaction , self- determined motivation , and physical activity of students in secondary school physical education in China. 1–14.
Garcia-Ceberino. (2022). Determinant Factors of Achievement Motivation in School Physical Education. 1–12.
Hanifah, L., & Nasrulloh, N. (2023). Sedentary Behavior and Lack of Physical Activity among Children in Indonesia.
Heredia-León. (2023). Motivational profiles in physical education: Differences at the psychosocial, gender, age and extracurricular sports practice levels. Children, 10(1), 112.
Huang. (2025). The impact of learning motivation on academic performance among low-income college students: the mediating roles of learning strategies and mental health. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1639375.
Leyton-rom, M., & Juan, L. N. (2020). The Importance of Supporting Student Autonomy in Physical Education Classes to Improve Intention to Be Physically Active. 10–13.
Liu. (2024). Staged and gendered pathways from parenting behaviors to Chinese students’ creative thinking: The roles of autonomous motivation and creative self-efficacy. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts.
Maněnová, M., Knajfl, P., & Wolf, J. (2022). Motivation and performance of students in school physical education in which mobile applications are used. Sustainability, 14(15), 9016.
Miao, M., Chai, H., Xue, R., & Wang, Q. (2024). Effects of perceived variety-support on middle school students’ learning engagement in physical education: the mediating role of motivation. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1459362.
Mohamad, & Cahyani. (2021). Motivation in physical education (PE) learning through online system. Kinestetik: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Jasmani, 5(1), 102–110.
Nasution, R., Candra, O., & Author, C. (2024). Student Motivation In Class VII Educational Learning At Smp Negeri 10 Pekanbaru. 3(4), 2045–2060.
Novák, J., Berková, K., Kubišová, A., & Kolárová, D. (2024). Gender Differences in School Achievement and Attitudes towards Motivation in Secondary Economic Education. Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science, 17(3), 223–236.
Pratama, W. S., Welis, W., & Aziz, I. (2025). Impact of Psychological Factors on Physical Education Learning Outcomes. 07(05), 2020–2025. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v7-i05-27
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being. 55(1), 68–78.
Tendinha, R., Alves, M. D., Freitas, T., Appleton, G., Gonçalves, L., Ihle, A., Gouveia, É. R., & Marques, A. (2021). Impact of Sports Education Model in Physical Education on Students ’ Motivation : A Systematic Review. 1–9.
Vasconcellos. (2023). Body-related concerns and participation in physical education among adolescent students : the mediating role of motivation. September, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1266740
Xiaojing wu, & Gai. (2021). Perceived motivational climate and stages of exercise behavior change: mediating roles of motivation within and beyond physical education class. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 737461.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Yudi Ahmad Kamaludin, Iis Marwan, Dicky Tri Juniar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal
