a questionnaire for measuring Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in the classroom

 

a questionnaire for measuring Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in the classroom (education context).

Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2000) highlights three basic psychological needs:

1. Autonomy – feeling of choice and control in learning.

2. Competence – belief in one’s ability to succeed.

3. Relatedness – sense of belonging and connection with teachers/peers.

A questionnaire for classroom use can be adapted from existing scales like Basic Psychological Needs in Education Scale (BPNS) or Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A). Below is a sample version you could use/adapt:

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📑 Self-Determination Theory Questionnaire (Education/Classroom Context)

Instructions: Please indicate how true each statement is for you in this class. Use the following scale:
1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree

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Autonomy

1. I feel free to express my ideas and opinions in this class.

2. I have a say in how I do my schoolwork.

3. The way we learn in this class makes me feel like I have choices.

4. I feel that my teacher listens to my ideas.

Competence

5. I feel confident that I can learn the material taught in this class.

6. I can meet the challenges in this class if I try hard enough.

7. I feel capable of mastering the skills taught in this class.

8. When I do well in this class, I feel proud of myself.

Relatedness

9. I feel connected to the other students in this class.

10. My teacher cares about me as a person.

11. I feel respected by my classmates.

12. I feel like I belong in this classroom.

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👉 Scoring:

• Autonomy = average of items 1–4

• Competence = average of items 5–8

• Relatedness = average of items 9–12

• Higher scores = higher satisfaction of each need