A self-determination theory-based preventive intervention programme for pre-service PE teachers

Social changes in the teaching context, like more heterogeneous teaching groups, are accompanied by increasing stress and strain in physical education teachers (Abele & Candova, 2007). In comparison with other career stages, teachers show highest levels of job-related stress and lower mental health during their pre-service phase (Schäfer, Pels, & von Haaren-Mack, 2018). Based on self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), the link between lack of satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness and burnout has been well investigated (Bartholomew et al., 2014). There is a deficit in feasible and effective theory-based preventive interventions for the pre-service teacher phase. Therefore, the aim of this three-year study program is the development, implementation and evaluation of preventive interventions to increase job-related need satisfaction to prevent burnout symptoms of pre-service teachers. The planned intervention program consists of three steps: 1. the implementation of a feasibility study evaluating structural conditions, 2. the development of theory- and evidence-based interventions for increasing basic psychological needs, and 3. the implementation and evaluation of the interventions with the aim of decreasing burnout symptoms. The target group consists of 60 pre-service-students, and 60 University PE teacher students as comparison group. The interventions will be evaluated at three points of measurement: Before and after the implementation of the preventive interventions and four months after termination as a follow-up. Results of the feasibility study as well as first contents of the developed preventive interventions will be presented at the FEPSAC conference.