Implementation of a Model-Based Programme to Promote Personal and Social Responsibility and Its Effects on Motivation, Prosocial Behaviours, Violence and Classroom Climate in Primary and Secondary Education

Abstract

The present study aimed to apply a programme based on Hellison’s Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility model (TPSR), traditionally used in Physical Education, to other school subjects and analyse aspects related to motivation and satisfaction of basic psychological needs among other variables. The programme was applied for 7 months during one academic year, all students receiving at least 60% of the lessons through this teaching methodology. A mixed method research methodology and quasiexperimental design was implemented in three schools (two primary, one secondary), with a total of 29 teachers and 272 students (45 control, 227 experimental group) involved. The students completed a questionnaire before and after the study and the teachers underwent semi-structured interviews at the end of the intervention. The results indicated improvements for the experimental group in personal and social responsibility, the psychological mediator index, the self-determination index, prosocial behaviours and teacher climate, as well as a reduction in amotivation and antisocial behaviours. The results were similar for primary and secondary school. The interviews yielded positive opinions and showed suitability of the method to be applied in the rest of subjects. It is concluded that TPSR can be an appropriate methodology to be implemented in the different curriculum subjects to improve basic psychological need satisfaction, motivation, prosocial behaviours and classroom climate.