Do Motivation and Race/Ethnicity Impact Success in an Anatomy Course for Doctor of Physical Therapy Students?

Abstract

Introduction Assessing motivation behaviors of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students during their first foundational science course, Clinical Anatomy, may improve our understanding of academic success. Students’ ability to succeed academically is determined by components of self-regulated learning strategies (SRL) and motivation behaviors. While DPT program admissions criteria are intended to be markers indicative of academic success that highlight SRL, motivation behaviors are not typically assessed. Student failure rates have been persistent and there appears to be a mismatch between the markers designed to predict success and actual success in DPT education. Objective: The purposes of this study were to determine the direct effects of motivational behaviors and race/ethnicity on academic success and to determine the moderating effect of race/ethnicity on motivational behaviors. Materials and Methods Thirty-three first-year DPT students participated during their first foundational course, clinical anatomy. The motivation subscales from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) were used to assess how student motivation behaviors impacted academic success expressed as course grade. Results The motivation sub scale of self-efficacy for learning and performance (SEL) was significantly correlated with course grade (r(31) = .44, p < .05). Independent t-test indicated that course grade differed at a statistically significant level by race/ethnicity (t(31) = 2.93, p < .01). Within the full multivariate model, race/ethnicity (B = .05, SE = .01, β = .42, p < .008) and SEL (B = .02, SE = .01, β = .39, p < .01), remained significantly related to course grade. Conclusion The results of this study indicated that SEL and race/ethnicity are factors that can determine academic success. Significance/Implications Understanding students’ levels of SEL can guide the development of programmatic and teaching strategies to support students identified with poor SEL. Implementing strategies aimed to improve students’ SEL, such as providing timely feedback, delineating clear expectations, collaborative and team-based learning, and incremental goal setting, may enhance academic success. The current study provides a rationale for implementing the strategies that bolster SEL and indicated that those strategies may be more closely applied to and benefit under-represented students.