Needs satisfaction and motivation among adolescent boys and girls during self-directed learning intervention. (April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schweder, Sabine; Raufelder, Diana
• Is Part Of: Journal of adolescence. Volume 88(2021)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 13
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Subjects: Adolescence -- Self-determination theory -- Basic needs satisfaction -- Motivation -- Self-directed learning -- Gender-differences; Adolescent psychiatry -- Periodicals; Adolescent psychology -- Periodicals; Adolescence -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 305.23505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.01.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-1971

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Self-directed learning (SDL) fosters adolescents' needs satisfaction. According to self-determination theory, meeting adolescents' needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness is essential for their motivation. However, students' needs satisfaction and motivation tend to decrease during adolescence and the rate of decrease varies by gender. Prior research within the self-determination theory literature has described adolescents in traditional teacher-directed learning (TDL) contexts, but little research has examined decreases in adolescents' needs satisfaction and motivation or gender-based differences among adolescents in SDL interventions. Methods: The present two-wave study compared questionnaire data from German adolescent boys and girls (N = 754; M age = 13.56; SD = 1.2; 49.4% girls) who attended an SDL intervention. To investigate possible gender-based differences in the interplay and extend of the variables, two multi-group structural equation model (multigroup SEM) and latent mean comparison (LMC) were programmed. Results & Conclusions: Boys reported higher values only for introjected and extrinsic regulation. With two different restricted multigroup SEMs, the present study detected additional gender-based differences. For example, the paths between autonomy and intrinsic and identified motivation were stronger for boys than for girls, and competence was only associated with intrinsic motivation among girls. Overall, these findings suggest that fewer gender-based differences exist in needs satisfaction and academic self-regulation in an SDL intervention than have been observed in previous research in TDL contexts. Further, adolescents' needs satisfaction was explicitly associated with higher forms of academic motivation (i.e., intrinsic and identified). Highlights: Large data set on self-directed learning (SDL) in adolescents' school context (754). SDL supports both girls and boys in developing an adaptive motivational structure. There were gender-based differences in the interplay of the variables. Male adolescents had higher means of introjected and extrinsic motivation. However, boys were particularly prone to develop positive motivation patterns.