The Predictors of Academic Motivation of University Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Given the salience of personal and environmental-related factors in young people’s motivation during COVID-19, this study investigated if positive future expectations, social-emotional learning (SEL) skills, and perceived social support were related to university students’ intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivation and amotivation as well as if their academic motivations differed according to gender. Using a convenient sampling method, 805 university students (54% female) participated in the study in the spring semester of 2020-2021, during COVID-19 lockdowns. The results of multiple linear regression showed positive relations of positive future expectations and SEL skills with intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivations and negative relations with amotivation levels of university students. In addition, the results indicated a significant positive relationship between perceived social support and extrinsic motivation, yet no significant relation between intrinsic motivation and amotivation levels. Moreover, female students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation levels were higher and their amotivation levels were lower than those of male students, with low effect sizes. The findings pointed to theoretical, research, and practical implications, which could be interpreted in a cultural context during COVID-19.