We know this much is (meta-analytically) true: A meta-review of meta-analytic findings evaluating self-determination theory
Abstract
Self-determination theory (SDT) is a theoretical framework for addressing human motivation and wellness that has been actively and increasingly researched over four decades. As a cumulative knowledge base, many of SDT’s fundamental tenets have been repeatedly examined. We identified 60 meta-analyses that tested many of the propositions of SDT’s six mini-theories, other theory-based hypotheses, and SDT’s utility in applied domains. In this review we examine what these meta-analyses establish, highlighting the support they lend to the validity of SDT’s motivational taxonomy and its hypotheses regarding the respective effects of basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration on well-being and ill-being. Meta-analytic evidence also strongly supports the relevance of SDT for organizations, health care, parenting, and education among other domains, with identifiable gaps in the meta-analytic literature. We conclude by discussing the importance of broad theory and the use of meta-analytic knowledge as scaffolding for further theory and research, albeit with its own methodological limitations.
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Self-determination theory posits that individuals are motivated in the most sustainable and healthy ways when they experience optimal levels of autonomy, competence and relatedness.
“Self-determination theory (SDT) is a theory of motivation that posits individuals are motivated in the most sustainable and healthy ways when they experience optimal levels of autonomy, competence and relatedness.21”
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“21 SDT has been operationalised into evidence-based behaviour change techniques that can be applied to the provision of human support online.”
Self-citationPretorius, L. (2025) · Curriculum Perspectives · doi:10.1007/s41297-024-00299-y · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“Elsewhere, Ryan et al. (2022) concur but also highlight the importance of need satisfaction for enhanced functioning.”
Students’ personality impacts sense of belonging of students in different ways
Bohndick, C., Breetzke, J., Klingsieck, K. B., et al. (2025) · Social Psychology of Education · doi:10.1007/s11218-025-10058-0 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“The satisfaction of these psychological needs influences motivation, self-growth, and psychological well-being (Ryan & Deci, 2017; Ryan et al., 2022).”
Teacher expectations: associations with need supportive teaching and students’ need satisfaction
Boer, I., Hornstra, L., van de Pol, J., & Bakx, A. W. E. A. (2025) · European Journal of Psychology of Education · doi:10.1007/s10212-025-00974-2 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Earlier studies on need-supportive teaching mostly focused on need support at the class-level (Ryan et al., 2022; Stroet et al., 2013).”
Theorizing subjective responsibility at work: an agentic approach
Jønsson, T., & Fasano, M. C. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1548931 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Audet, É. C., Moore, A. M., Fang, X., & Koestner, R. (2025) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2025.113369 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Bureau, J. S., Gilbert, W., & Guay, F. (2025) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2025.102839 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
The Dynamics and Complexities of Return‐to‐Office Policies
Cascio, W. F. (2025) · Human Resource Management · doi:10.1002/hrm.70041 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Marsh, H. W., Ryan, R. M., Dicke, T., Pekrun, R. H., Guo, J., Bradshaw, E. L., Reeve, J., Lüdtke, O., Clarke, T., & Waterschoot, J. (2025) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-025-10079-3 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“…are not endpoints of a single continuum: low satisfaction is not the same as high frustration, and each shows differential associations with outcomes—an observation supported by accumulating evidence, including meta-analytic reviews (Deci & Ryan, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2000; Ryan et al., 2022).”
Self-citationLiu, Y., Cheng, Z.-Y., Tao, J., Liang, Y.-Q., Zhang, Y., Wang, J., Dai, Z.-T., Yue, Y.-R., Zhou, C., Chen, L., et al. (2025) · BMC Nursing · doi:10.1186/s12912-025-04235-x · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“In an environment characterized by widespread academic and employment pressure, learning motivation stemming from intrinsic beliefs and clear goals is more stable and sustainable than that driven by external evaluations [64].”
Klose, M., Handschuh, P., Steger, D., & Artelt, C. (2024) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2024.108322 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Kiamouri, A., Angeli, M., Κrommidas, C., Digelidis, N. M., & Καρατράντου, Κ. (2024) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs14080681 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Islam, A., & Ajmal, M. (2024) · Journal of Organizational Effectiveness People and Performance · doi:10.1108/joepp-06-2024-0291 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Cultural Influence on Planned Alcohol Consumption: A Chinese Perspective on Self-View
Pan, W., Liu, Y., & Li, S. (2025) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2025.2505970 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“Competition and self-determination are often context-specific and primarily related to achievement in personal and professional domains (Ryan et al., 2022).”
Goffredi, R., & Sheldon, K. M. (2024) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2024.104510 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“A small-to-medium effect size was used in line with previous meta -analytic findings on the effects of narrative themes and psychological need satisfaction on well-being (Adler et al., 2016; Ryan et al., 2022).”
Social Support Congruence Among Team Members: A Cubic Response Surface Analysis
Berg, A.-K., Schulte, E.-M., & Kauffeld, S. (2024) · Small Group Research · doi:10.1177/10464964241298605 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“Consequently, we argue that verbal behaviors during meetings serve as antecedents to perceived support congruence (Ryan et al., 2022; van den Broeck et al., 2016).”
The impact of COVID-19 pandemic context on work motivation: a two-wave study
Pereira, S. A., dos Santos, N. R., Pais, L., & Pereira, M. (2025) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-024-07263-z · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“Fulfilling these basic psy - chological needs is crucial to promoting healthy motivation, integrative functioning and the pursuit of goals (Ryan et al., 2022 ).”
Mendoza, N. B., Zadorozhnyy, A., & Dizon, J. I. W. T. (2025) · British Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjep.12752 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ryan, R. M., Duineveld, J. J., Di Domenico, S. I., Ryan, W. S., Steward, B. A., & Bradshaw, E. L.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Psychological Bulletin
- Published
- 2022-11
- Volume
- 148
- Issue
- 11-12
- Pages
- 813-842
- ISSN
- 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1455
- OpenAlex
- W4327660578
- Cited by
- 378
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 151 · 2025: 133 · 2024: 73 · 2023: 19 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 47.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
- Keywords
- self-determination theory, meta-review, evidence synthesis, motivation, autonomy, competence, relatedness
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