Table 2 Psychological needs, their description (Sheldon et al. 2001), and the questionnaire items

Autonomy

Feeling like you are the cause of your own actions rather than feeling that external forces or pressure are the cause of your action

That my choices were based on my true interests and values

Free to do things my own way

That my choices expressed my “true self”

Competence

Feeling that you are very capable and effective in your actions rather than feeling incompetent or ineffective

That I was successfully completing difficult tasks and projects

That I was taking on and mastering hard challenges

Very capable in what I did

Relatedness

Feeling that you have regular intimate contact with people who care about you rather than feeling lonely and uncared of

A sense of contact with people who care for me, and whom I care for

Close and connected with other people who are important to me

A strong sense of intimacy with the people I spent time with

Self-actualization

Feeling that you are developing your best potentials and making life meaningful rather than feeling stagnant and that life does not have much meaning

That I was “becoming who I really am”

A sense of deeper purpose in life

A deeper understanding of myself and my place in the universe

Physical thriving

Feeling that your body is healthy and well-taken care of rather than feeling out of shape and unhealthy

That I got enough exercise and was in excellent physical condition

That my body was getting just what it needed

A strong sense of physical well-being

Pleasure-stimulation

Feeling that you get plenty of enjoyment and pleasure rather than feeling bored and understimulated by life

That I was experiencing new sensations and activities

Intense physical pleasure and enjoyment

That I had found new sources and types of stimulation for myself

Luxury

Feeling that you have plenty of money to buy most of what you want rather than feeling like a poor person who has no nice possessions

Able to buy most of the things I want

That I had nice things and possessions

That I got plenty of money

Security

Feeling safe and in control of your life rather than feeling uncertain and threatened by your circumstances

That my life was structured and predictable

Glad that I have a comfortable set of routines and habits

Safe from threats and uncertainties

Popularity

Feeling that you are liked, respected, and have influence over others rather than feeling like a person whose advice or opinion nobody is interested in

That I was a person whose advice others seek out and follow

That I strongly influenced others’ beliefs and behavior

That I had strong impact on what other people did

Self-esteem

Feeling that you are a worthy person who is as good as anyone else rather than feeling like a ‘‘loser”

That I had many positive qualities

Quite satisfied with who I am

A strong sense of self-respect