A Thematic Review of Motivation and Self-Regulation in Physical Education and the Effects on Students’ Psychological Well-being

Abstract

There is increasing interest in the association between psychological well-being, motivation, physical literacy, self-regulation, and physical education. While the impact of each of these variables on students’ health is well established, a comprehensive review of their interconnections has been limited. A thematic literature review was conducted using Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar, searching for English-language studies published from 2020 to 2024. The keywords were “self-regulation”, “motivation”, “physical education”, and “psychological well-being”. After selection, 82 peer-reviewed articles and relevant books were included from different cultural contexts, using longitudinal, cross-sectional, and survey-based designs. The findings were integrated using a thematic synthesis approach. The review highlights the significance of self-regulation in enhancing physical performance, stress management, attention control, and positive attitudes towards exercise, which are related to psychological well-being and academic success. Motivation, particularly students’ motivation, has been identified as a key factor in the development of physical literacy and long-term physical activity engagement. These constructs co-occurred and mutually reinforced one another across studies, with self-regulation and motivation jointly predicting both physical and psychological performance outcomes and indicators of psychological well-being. Improving self-regulation and motivation in physical education could contribute to better psychological well-being and physical literacy among students. These findings have important implications for the development of evidence-based educational programs, educational strategies, and educational policies to promote resilience, lifelong physical activity, and balanced student development.