Adolescent Motivation Research Articles

Longitudinal associations between quality of out-of-school time and adolescent social skills

Involvement in out-of-school activities, such as sports and clubs, is linked to greater intrinsic motivation and positive mood in children and adolescents, as well as opportunities for social skill development. However, the impact of out-of-school time (OST) activities varies with youths’ perceptions of their quality, and few studies have examined these effects longitudinally. While higher quality OST relates to improved social skills, children with stronger social skills tend to receive more positive responses from their environments. In this brief report, we explored whether quality OST was linked to increases in social skills from early to middle adolescence and/or whether having social skills leads to higher quality OST experiences. In a sample of 996 mother–child dyads (45% female, 78% white, 24% low-income), we used cross-lagged path modeling to examine bidirectional relations between sixth-grade OST quality and ninth-grade social skills, as well as sixth-grade social skills and ninth-grade OST quality. The cross-lagged path model accounted for child sex, family income, father in the home, closeness with mothers, teachers, and peers, and number of OST activities. The cross-lagged effects were bidirectional: sixth-grade social skills were associated with increases in OST quality ( β = .08, p = .014), and sixth-grade OST quality was related to increases in social skills ( β = .10, p < .001). These findings have important implications for parents, teachers, and coaches who manage adolescents’ extracurricular activities.

Improving Parent–Adolescent Conversation to Promote Adolescent Sleep Health Behavior Change: An Open Trial of the Parent Behavior Change Intervention

The Parent Behavior Change Intervention (PBC-I) was developed to target parent–adolescent conversations that promote adolescent health behavior change. We report on an open trial of the PBC-I. Participants were 36 parent–adolescent dyads. Adolescents received the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention (TranS-C) as parents received the PBC-I. Dyads were assessed at pre- and postintervention for parent use of behavior change techniques (BCT) and positive and negative conversational behaviors, parent–adolescent conflict, adolescent motivation for change, and adolescent sleep outcomes. From pre to post, parents used fewer total and types of BCTs, more positive communication behaviors, and less negative communication behaviors when discussing a sleep-related hot topic. From pre to post, parents reported decreased coercion and less anger intensity, while adolescents reported fewer parental conflict behaviors and less quantity and anger intensity during parent–adolescent disagreement. There was a pre-to-post increase in interest/enjoyment of sleep and a decrease in effort/importance to participate in TranS-C. More positive and less negative communication was associated with select adolescent sleep outcomes. Parents rated the PBC-I as highly acceptable and perceived it as useful. These results provide preliminary evidence that supports the PBC-I in improving the parent–adolescent interpersonal process, which is linked to improved adolescent sleep. The results may be relevant to conversations parents have with adolescents about a range of health behavior changes.

Influence of Project-Based Learning on Adolescent Motivation in Mathematics in Day Secondary Schools in Rwanda: A Case of Nyamasheke District

Influence of Project-Based Learning on Adolescent Motivation in Mathematics in Day Secondary Schools in Rwanda: A Case of Nyamasheke District

Divergent reward cue representations in prefrontal cortex underlie differences in reward motivation between adolescents and adults.

A prevailing view on postnatal brain development is that brain regions gradually acquire adult functions as they mature. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regulates reward learning, motivation, and behavioral inhibition, and undergoes a protracted postnatal maturation. During adolescence, reward-seeking behavior is heightened compared to adulthood - a developmental difference that may be driven by a hypoactive mPFC, with decreased top-down control of impulsive reward-seeking. However, this hypothesis has been difficult to test directly, due in part to technical challenges of recording neuronal activity in vivo across this developmental period. Here, using a novel 2-photon imaging-compatible platform for recording mPFC activity during an operant reward conditioning task beginning early in life, we show that the adolescent mPFC is hyper-responsive to reward cues. Distinct populations of mPFC neurons encode reward-predictive cues across development, but representations of no-reward cues and unrewarded outcomes are relatively muted in adolescence. Chemogenetic inhibition of GABAergic neurons decreased motivation in adolescence but not in adulthood. Together, our findings indicate that reward-related activity in the adolescent mPFC does not gradually increase across development. On the contrary, adolescent mPFC neurons are hyper-responsive to reward-related stimuli and encode reward-predictive cues and outcomes through qualitatively different mechanisms relative to the adult mPFC, opening avenues to developing distinct, developmentally informed strategies for modulating reward-seeking behavior in adolescence and adulthood.

From individual motivation to substance use initiation: A longitudinal cohort study assessing the associations between reward sensitivity and subsequent risk of substance use initiation among US adolescents

BackgroundSubstance use in youth remains a pressing problem in the United States. Existing studies have shown the importance of neuropathways responsible for affective response and reward motivation in adolescents’ substance use initiation and maintenance. However, limited observational studies have explored the relationship between aspects of behavioral motivation traits and the likelihood of substance use initiation in adolescents. In this prospective cohort study, we assessed the associations between behavioral motivation traits based on the Behavioral Inhibition and Approach Systems (BIS-BAS) Scale and substance use initiation using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. MethodIn the 9216 eligible sample population, we assessed the associations between mean Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) / Behavioral Approach System (BAS) scores measured at year 2 of the ABCD study and substance use initiation at year 3 of the ABCD study using multivariable logistic regressions adjusting for ABCD study site, sampling weights, as well as sociodemographic characteristics. ResultsWe found that higher BIS mean score was associated with higher odds of initiating substance use at year 3 (AOR=1.20, 95 % CI: 1.03, 1.40). Out of three BAS measure categories, only BAS Fun-seeking mean score was positively associated with higher odds of initiating substance use at year 3 (AOR=1.23, 95 % CI: 1.07, 1.43). ConclusionOur study showed that inhibitory and fun-seeking behavioral tendencies are associated with an increased likelihood of substance use initiation in adolescents. Our findings suggest a potential pathway linking emotional traits to early substance initiation in adolescents.

Longitudinal associations between adolescents' social-emotional skills, school engagement, and school burnout

This longitudinal study investigated to what extent five key social-emotional skills persistence, academic buoyancy, curiosity, social engagement, and lack of loneliness were associated with adolescents' school engagement and burnout at two timepoints. Furthermore, the role of gender and socioeconomic status were examined. The data were collected from 1021 adolescents (ages 12–14) in the fall of 2021 and 2022. The results were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and revealed that, in general, social-emotional skills were associated with higher school engagement and lower burnout among adolescents. Curiosity showed a strong relationship with school engagement. Moreover, persistence was associated with an increase in school engagement among adolescents with low-average socioeconomic status. High academic buoyancy and lack of loneliness were associated with decrease in burnout over the school years. The study implies that recognizing the variety of adolescent's social-emotional skills may help to better support adolescents' school engagement and protect them from burnout. Educational relevance and implications statementAccording to the study findings, social-emotional skills, such as persistence and curiosity, were associated with higher school motivation and lower burnout of adolescents. These results suggest that interventions aiming to develop adolescents' social-emotional skills may promote adolescents' motivation. Supporting adolescents' social relationships in school may also protect adolescents from burning out. To better support adolescent students' motivation and well-being at school it is important to recognize the diversity of individual adolescents' needs and strengths in social-emotional skills. Therefore, sufficient education and training would be needed for teachers concerning the variety of social-emotional skills.

Reduced prosocial motivation and effort in adolescents with conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits.

Prosocial behaviours - acts that benefit others - are of crucial importance for many species including humans. However, adolescents with conduct problems (CP), unlike their typically developing (TD) peers, demonstrate markedly reduced engagement in prosocial behaviours. This pattern is particularly pronounced in adolescents with CP and high levels of callous-unemotional traits (CP/HCU) who are at increased risk of developing psychopathy in adulthood. While a substantial amount of research has investigated the cognitive-affective mechanisms thought to underlie antisocial behaviour, much less is known about the mechanisms that could explain reduced prosocial behaviours in adolescents with CP. Here we examined the willingness to exert effort to benefit oneself (self) and another person (other, prosocial condition) in children with CP/HCU, CP and lower levels of CU traits (CP/LCU) and their TD peers. The task captured both prosocial choices, and actual effort exerted following prosocial choices, in adolescent boys aged 11-16 (27 CP/HCU; 34 CP/LCU; 33 TD). We used computational modelling to reveal the mechanistic processes involved when choosing prosocial acts. We found that both CP/HCU and CP/LCU groups were more averse to initiating effortful prosocial acts than TD adolescents - both at a cognitive and at a behavioural level. Strikingly, even if they chose to initiate a prosocial act, the CP/HCU group exerted less effort following this prosocial choice than other groups. Our findings indicate that reduced exertion of effort to benefit others may be an important factor that differentiates adolescents with CP/HCU from their peers with CP/LCU. They offer new insights into what might drive low prosocial behaviour in adolescents with CP, including vulnerabilities that may particularly characterise those with high levels of CU traits.

Role of Sports Motivation and Basic Psychological Needs in the Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Psychological Adaptation in Adolescents.

Child maltreatment poses serious consequences, while sports participation among adolescents offers a potential avenue for mitigating such consequences. This study, based on self-determination theory (SDT), examines the associations among child maltreatment, sports motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), and satisfaction or frustration of basic psychological needs (BPNs). This study also investigated the mediating role of sports motivation in the relationship between child maltreatment and psychological adaptation. Adolescents engaged in sports were derived from the first wave of a large two-wave study (wave 1: n = 1403; wave 2: n = 618) using data on child maltreatment, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and satisfaction and frustration of within the sports context. Subsequently, data on psychological adaptation, including self-esteem and satisfaction with life, were collected during the second wave. Path analyses revealed satisfaction and frustration of BPNs as significant mediators in the relationship between child maltreatment and sports motivation. In addition, intrinsic motivation mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and psychological adaptation after 18 months. Specifically, the results indicated that enhancing intrinsic motivation in adolescents with a history of child maltreatment by improving satisfaction of BPNs could be an innovative intervention target.

Physical health of high school students with different levels of motor activity

The physical health of children and adolescents is an indicator of the sanitary and hygienic well-being of an educational establishments, reflects the efficiency of the physical education system at schools and the level of physical activity of schoolchildren. An analysis of physical health indicators (height, body weight, hemodynamic and physiometric indicators) in 252 tenth graders was carried out. It was noted that the majority of adolescents (70–82 %) had functional indicators within the age-sex norm; normal physical development was determined in 60 % of schoolchildren. The results of physical fitness tests showed that the «60 m run» was performed at the level of the gold GTO sign, with an unsatisfactory result of the «flexion and extension of the arms in a lying position» test in girls and low results of the «bend forward from a standing position» test in boys. Statistically significant differences were established in the results of pedometer testing among adolescents of health groups I and II (group 1) and schoolchildren with chronic diseases of health groups III and IV (group 2). The physical activity of adolescents in group 1 was 1817 steps higher on weekdays (p=0.000) and on weekends compared to peers in group 2. According to the survey and pedometer data, every third student (34.6 %) was characterized by a low level of physical activity, an average level was found in 49.5 % of tenth graders, and a high level in 15.9 % of schoolchildren. Thus, the average level of physical activity in most adolescents was at the level of 8–9 thousand steps per day and was characterized by low involvement in sports sections, which requires a system of measures to increase the motivation of children and adolescents to engage in physical education.

How Does Self Efficacy and Motivation Influence the Adoption of Sexual Abstinence among Students in Indonesia.

In adolescence, dating behavior may escalate into sexual contact which has implications for unwanted pregnancies followed by various negative effects. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of self-efficacy on adolescent motivation and analyze the influence of motivation on the adoption of Sexual Abstinence. This study is an observational analytic with a cross-sectional approach, sampling using the Multistage Cluster Random technique with a total of 299 respondents. The data analysis used is Structural Equation Model test at a significance of 0.05. The results showed that there was an influence of self-efficacy variable on motivation with a P value of 0.010 and there was no influence of the motivation variable on the adoption of sexual abstinence with a P value of 0.225. High self-efficacy in adolescents can increase adolescent motivation in adopting sexual abstinence behavior. It takes effort to increase self-efficacy in adolescents which can affect the motivation in adopting sexual abstinence.

Exploring age-related differences in metacognitive self-regulation: the influence of motivational factors in secondary school students.

Metacognitive self-regulation is a crucial factor that promotes students' learning and achievement. However, the evidence regarding age differences in metacognitive skills is rather mixed, with some evidence pointing toward further refinement and development and other evidence suggesting declining levels. Academic motivation, an important antecedent of metacognitive self-regulation, has also been reported to decline steeply in adolescence. Hence, this raises the question whether there are any age-related differences in academic motivation and metacognitive self-regulation of adolescents and whether age differences in academic motivation drive decreases in metacognitive self-regulation. A large sample size of 1,027 Greek adolescents (ages 12-16, M age = 13.95, SD = 0.78) was utilized in the present study. Multigroup measurement invariance analyses were deployed to compare the latent means of motivational factors (self-efficacy, task value, mastery, and performance goals) and metacognitive self-regulation across age groups. Cholesky decomposition was applied to test the independent contribution of motivational factors to and the indirect effects of age on metacognitive self-regulation. Invariance analyses revealed scalar invariance for metacognitive self-regulation, language self-efficacy, mastery and performance goal orientations and partially scalar invariance for task value. Older adolescents scored lower on metacognitive self-regulation, mastery and performance goals, and self-efficacy. Older students scored lower on metacognitive self-regulation via indirect effects through Cholesky decomposed motivational factors. Self-efficacy, mastery and performance goals, and task value are similarly understood across adolescents in different age groups. Decreased mastery and performance goals and task value can lead to reduced metacognitive self-regulation in adolescents. The implications of the findings underscore the key role of making students more engaged with lessons' content in order to promote greater academic motivation and prevent decreases in metacognitive self-regulation.

Criminal Careers and Drug Abuse Among Adolescents in Indonesia

The engagement of adolescents in drug abuse cases is a complex process that requires explanation and reflection. This study aims to explain the criminal careers of adolescents engaged in drug abuse. Such inclinations are often overlooked in studies concerning adolescent involvement in drug abuse cases in Indonesia. In addition to addressing the inadequacies of prior research, this study aims to expound the criminal careers of adolescents involved in drug abuse cases in Indonesia. This is a descriptive qualitative study that utilizes primary and secondary data. The study's findings highlight three important situations of adolescents' criminal careers in drug abuse cases. Firstly, the initial phase of adolescent drug abuse is precipitated by experimentation, peer influence, and a curiosity about drugs. Secondly, active drug abuse among adolescents manifests in various forms such as users, abusers, and addicts. Lastly, active participation in drug abuse among adolescents leads to a progression in behavior from from users to dealers, users to sellers, and addicts to dealers. This study also emphasizes the need to explain the perceptions and motivations of adolescents who engage in drug abuse cases to acquire a better understanding of their conduct.

Вплив занять боксом на психоемоційний стан підлітків в умовах воєнного стану

Purpose: to determine the impact of boxing on the psycho-emotional state of adolescents under martial law. Material and Methods. analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature; questionnaire to identify the motivation of adolescents to boxing and their psycho-emotional state, social and psychological adaptability during the war; methods of mathematical statistics. The study involved 16 young men with no training experience, the average age was 15,8±0,7 years. The participants of the study were engaged in boxing for a year in sports clubs. Classes were held 5 times a week for 120 minutes. Results: it was found that the main motivations for boxing are socio-moral and socio-emotional satisfaction from practicing this sport. The conducted surveys and questionnaires on the psycho-emotional state and socio-psychological adaptability of adolescents during martial law made it possible to state the fact that young men already have psychological changes. It was found that under the influence of boxing training, the level of anxiety in adolescents decreased, and it was also found that psychoemotional indicators improved. Thus, at the end of the training year only 1 adolescent from the section remained with a very high level of anxiety, which amounted to 6,25 %, the number of adolescents with clearly increased anxiety decreased to 3 people (18,75 %). The number of adolescents who began to have a normal level of anxiety at the end of the study increased significantly. It has been established that under the influence of boxing training there were more positive changes in the formation of mental qualities such as «self-perception» (t=2,31; p<0,05), «internal» (t=2,31; p<0,05) and «external locus of control» (t=2,18; p<0,05), «emotional comfort» (t=2,40; p<0,05) and «discomfort» (t=2,33; p<0,05) and «escape from problem solving» (t=2,42; p<0,05). These results indicate that boxing training sessions had a positive impact on the level of psycho-emotional state of adolescents. Conclusions. It has been established that boxing training has a positive effect on the psycho-emotional state of adolescents, which in turn gives grounds to assert that physical activity is really important for the mental health of adolescents who are most sensitive to the effects of martial law.

Academic motivation in adolescents: the role of parental autonomy support, psychological needs satisfaction and self-control.

Various perspectives on the existence and degree of motivation, which is a crucial factor influencing human behavior, have been studied for many years. Especially in adolescence, a phase marked by rapid change, motivation plays a crucial role in supporting young people to achieve their goals, fulfill their responsibilities, and experience healthy development. The present study aims to investigate the structural relationships among perceived parental autonomy support, satisfaction of psychological needs, self-control, and academic motivation. The study was conducted with a total of 427 high school students, including 230 females and 197 males, aged between 14 and 19 (M = 15.82; SD = 1.02). Participants completed self-report measures of academic motivation, parental autonomy support, psychological needs satisfaction, and self-control. Structural equation modeling was performed to explore complex relationships between variables of interest. The study revealed that psychological needs satisfaction increased as parental autonomy support increased, and self-control also increased with the satisfaction of psychological needs. It was also found that satisfaction of psychological needs was positively related to both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Additionally, self-control was associated with increased intrinsic motivation and decreased amotivation. In addition, it was found that parental autonomy support has an indirect relationship with academic motivation through the satisfaction of psychological needs and self-control. It is believed that these connections will lead to a deeper understanding of the significant processes in adolescence and serve as a foundation for developing and implementing psycho-educational interventions related to these variables.

The Impact of Academic Life Satisfaction on Achievement Motivation of School-Going Adolescents of South 24 Parganas District

This study aims to ascertain the impact of academic life satisfaction on the development of achievement motivation of school-going adolescents. The research employs a descriptive survey method within a correlational research design. Data is collected through the Deo-Mohan (1985) Achievement Motivation Scale and the Multidimensional Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1994). The sample consists of 576 Bengali-speaking adolescents aged 14-16 years studying in classes IX and X from South 24 Parganas District. The findings reveal significant correlations between academic achievement motivation and multidimensional students’ academic life satisfaction. Adolescents with very high levels of achievement motivation also report very high levels of multidimensional life satisfaction in the case of family, friends, school, and living environment facets, except for academic self-satisfaction, which was at a high level. Adolescents with above-average levels of achievement motivation have very high levels of satisfaction with family and school and high levels of life satisfaction with friends, living environment, and self-satisfaction. Average motivated students have quality life experiences with their family, friends, school, and living environment. However, their achievement motivation was only average due to low academic self-satisfaction. Below-average motivated adolescents exhibit learned helplessness and report low levels of multidimensional life satisfaction.

249. Interactive Effects of Motivation and Cognition in Adolescents With Depression and Neurotypical Peers

249. Interactive Effects of Motivation and Cognition in Adolescents With Depression and Neurotypical Peers

Relationships among locus of control, academic engagement, and achievement motivation in Chinese adolescents

Previous studies have revealed the effect of locus of control on academic engagement and achievement motivation, but the role that achievement motivation plays in the relationship between the other two variables for Chinese adolescents has remained unclear. We conducted two studies to explore this issue. In Study 1 we used standardized scales to measure locus of control (Internal–External Control Scale), academic engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale–Student), and achievement motivation (Achievement Motivation Scale) among 1,811 middle school students. In Study 2 we intervened in the participants' achievement motivation by way of group counseling to further check the effect on their academic engagement. We randomly recruited 64 students from the same school for control and experimental groups and constructed a relationship model among the three variables of locus of control, academic engagement, and achievement motivation. Results demonstrated that intervention in achievement motivation can effectively enhance the academic engagement of middle school students.

다문화가정 청소년의 성취동기와 부모의 방임에 따른 진로결정성의 변화궤적

다문화가정 청소년의 성취동기와 부모의 방임에 따른 진로결정성의 변화궤적

Declining Mental Health Without Diminished Military Service Motivation in Norwegian Adolescents From 2009 to 2022: A Research Note

Declining Mental Health Without Diminished Military Service Motivation in Norwegian Adolescents From 2009 to 2022: A Research Note

Motivating adolescents to read

Motivating today’s adolescents to read is a challenge. Martha Abele Mac Iver, Marcia H. Davis, and Douglas J. Mac Iver discuss the kinds of literacy instructional practices that address what we know about adolescent motivation. They also review several evidence-based literacy interventions designed to engage and motivate adolescent readers that can potentially lead to improvements in student reading motivation and academic outcomes.