Predicting students' basic psychological need profiles through motivational appeals: Relations with grit and well-being

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the predictive relation between teachers' motivational appeals (i.e., messages that appeal to a certain kind of motivation) and students' basic psychological need profiles and how the different profiles relate with students' well-being and grit. A total of 655 secondary students participated in the study. To determine the number of profiles a person-centered approach was followed. Results of the latent profile analysis revealed four profiles regarding student's need experiences: thwarted, fulfilled, low fulfilment and neutral profiles. Students whose teacher relied on autonomous motivational appeals were more likely to belong to the most adaptive profile (i.e., fulfilled), whereas students whose teacher relied on amotivational appeals were more likely to belong to the most non-adaptive profile (i.e., thwarted). Moreover, students belonging to the adaptive profiles reported higher levels of well-being and grit. The present findings highlight a resource for teachers to satisfy students' needs, well-being, and grit.