Conceptualization and Measurement of Adolescent Classroom Psychological Need Thwarting

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 3
  In Poster Session: Examining Motivation and Cognition in Context (San Diego)

Abstract

There is an opportunity to reimagine and rebuild the way students experience school to be more inclusive and humanizing. Despite evidence that schools struggle to keep adolescents motivated and engaged, studies examining teacher as social contextual influence is limited to identifying only positive teacher influences. For a complete picture, it is also necessary to identify negative teacher influences. To this end, a fundamental first step is establishing the capacity to conceptualize and validly measure this phenomenon. Using Basic Psychological Needs Theory, this paper proposes a conceptualization and measurement of adolescent classroom psychological need thwarting. Results from this study expands the purview for understanding the impacts of a teacher as a social contextual influence and increases avenues for reorganizing learning environments.

Author

• Olajumoke Beulah Adigun, University of Oklahoma