The effect of changes in skill level on movement satisfaction of participants in selected physical education activity classes

The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in skin level of students participating in beginning soccer and racquetball classes would influence movement satisfaction attitudes. A second purpose was to determine differences between genders and among experimental and control groups on movement satisfaction scores.

The experimental subjects were students enrolled in elected beginning soccer and racquetball classes at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. There were twenty-three students, fourteen males and nine females, participating in the study in each of the physical education classes. The control group included thirty students, fourteen males and sixteen females, enrolled in general psychology classes at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Pre-test and post-test scores were obtained from the experimental subjects on the Nelson and Allen movement satisfaction scale and on motor skills tests for the respective sport of each class. The control group was pre- and post-tested only with the Nelson and Allen movement satisfaction scale.

Mean scores were obtained for each individual and also for the different groups and genders. The relationship between skill and movement satisfaction changes were found with the Pearson product moment correlation technique. The data were also analyzed with a three-way analysis of variance (group x gender x time of testing) with a repeated measure on the time of testing to determine group and gender differences.

Results indicated almost a zero correlation between changes in skill level and movement satisfaction. Although the experimental groups increased from pre- to post-testing for skill level and movement satisfaction, the differences were not found to be statistically significant. Also, no significant differences were found between control and experimental groups or between genders on movement satisfaction.