Effect of the Interpersonal Autonomy-Supportive Teaching Style on the Professional Training of Lifeguards

The objective of this study was to analyze the motivational, behavioral, and cognitive effect of autonomy support in rescue and lifesaving classes within the framework of the self-determination theory. The sample consisted of 40 students aged from 19 to 26 years old (M = 20.83; TD = 1.86). Students were randomly divided into the intervention (n = 19) and control (n = 21) groups. The following were measured: the perception of the autonomy-supportive and controlling interpersonal styles, the social support for the basic psychological needs of the professor, the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs, and the aquatic competence in rescue and lifeguarding. After the application of the program, improvements were observed in the intervention group in the variables of perception of autonomy support, social support for autonomy, and competence; satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy and competence; and improvement of the cognitive and behavioral processes of aquatic competence in rescue and lifeguarding. The findings show the effectiveness of the interpersonal teaching style of the autonomy-support program by obtaining more positive results at the motivational, behavioral, and cognitive levels, as opposed to a controlling interpersonal style.