Abstract:

The present research was structured around four objectives: to examine whether there is a correlation between the physical performance and academic achievement of students at the Naval School; to characterize the physical fitness level of the students in the current academic year; to identify the predominant type of motivational regulation for physical exercise based on Self Determination Theory; and to analyze whether there is a correlation between the type of motivational regulation and physical performance.

To achieve these objectives, a quantitative methodology of descriptive and correlational nature was adopted. Data were collected through the analysis of results from the General Physical Fitness Tests (pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and the 2400-meter run) and the students’ academic grades, complemented by the application of the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire – 2 (BREQ-2), validated for the Portuguese population. The sample consisted of students from the 1st to the 5th year at the Naval School, with inclusion criteria varying according to each research question. The statistical analysis of the data was conducted using the International Business Machines Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) software.

The results revealed a positive, though weak, correlation between physical performance and academic achievement. It was found that the average physical fitness level for the current academic year falls within the “Good” category (Mean = 14.27), although insufficient performance was observed, particularly among the Cadets studying Naval Medicine, along with a low number of students reaching the “Excellent” level. Regarding motivational regulation, more self-determined forms were predominant, namely, intrinsic motivation and identified regulation, which were positively associated with physical performance. In contrast, less self-determined forms such as external regulation and amotivation showed a negative association.

Keywords:

Academic Achievement, Motivation, Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, Physical Fitness Tests.