Enhancing Psychological Well-Being: Self-Regulated Learning, Motivation, and Emotions Among Doctoral Students in South Africa

  • Muhammad Hoque Department of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa
    (ZA)
  • Nisha Singh School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
    (ZA)
  • Junaid Shaik Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
    (ZA)
  • René Pellissier Higher Education Leadership Development, Cape Higher Education Consortium, Cape Town, South Africa
    (ZA)
Keywords: emotions, mental health, motivation, psychological well-being, students

Abstract

The likelihood of dropping out and interrupting studies increases with poor psychological well-being (PWB). The promotion of doctoral students' PWB is therefore very important. The aim of this study was to examine how self-regulated learning moderates’ relatedness, intrinsic motivation to learn, and positive emotions in doctoral students at a South African Private Higher Education Institution (PHEI).  In this cross-sectional study, 46 doctoral students completed a self-administered anonymous questionnaire using an online platform (QuestionPro). Based on the correlation analysis, relatedness was found to be significantly correlated with intrinsic motivation for learning and self-regulated learning. Self-regulated learning and intrinsic learning motivation were significantly correlated with positive emotion. Regression analysis showed that relatedness was a significant predictor of self-regulated learning. However, self-regulated learning was not a significant predictor of intrinsic learning motivation. Psychological support could be provided to doctoral students by PHEIs through the provision of mental health experts to improve self-regulated learning, relatedness, intrinsic motivation, and positive emotions.

 

hoque.jpg

Downloads

Author Biography

Junaid Shaik, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa

Senior Lecturer

References

Ahn, I., Chiu, M. M., & Patrick, H. (2021). Connecting teacher and student motivation: Student-perceived teacher need-supportive practices and student need satisfaction. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 64, 101950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2021.101950

Alali, M. A., Robbins, L. B., Ling, J., Kao, T. S. A., & Smith, A. L. (2020). Concept analysis of relatedness in physical activity among adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 55, e293-e304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2020.06.005

Autin, K. L., Herdt, M. E., Garcia, R. G., & Ezema, G. N. (2022). Basic psychological need satisfaction, autonomous motivation, and meaningful work: a self-determination theory perspective. Journal of Career Assessment, 30(1), 78-93. https://doi.org/10.1177/10690727211018647

Ben-Eliyahu, A. (2019). Academic emotional learning: A critical component of self-regulated learning in the emotional learning cycle. Educational Psychologist, 54(2), 84-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2019.1582345

Börgeson, E., Sotak, M., Kraft, J., Bagunu, G., Biörserud, C., & Lange, S. (2021). Challenges in PhD education due to COVID-19-disrupted supervision or business as usual: A cross-sectional survey of Swedish biomedical sciences graduate students. BMC Medical Education, 21(1), 294. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02727-3

Cantarero, K., Van Tilburg, W. A., & Smoktunowicz, E. (2021). Affirming basic psychological needs promotes mental well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 12(5), 821-828. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550620942708

Castelló, M., Pardo, M., Sala-Bubaré, A., & Suñé-Soler, N. (2017). Why do students consider dropping out of doctoral degrees? Institutional and personal factors. Higher Education, 74, 1053-1068. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-016-0106-9

Daniels, L. M., Goegan, L. D., & Parker, P. C. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 triggered changes to instruction and assessment on university students’ self-reported motivation, engagement and perceptions. Social Psychology of Education, 24(1), 299-318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-021-09612-3

Diener, E., Wirtz, D., Tov, W., Kim-Prieto, C., Choi, D. W., Oishi, S., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2010). New well-being measures: Short scales to assess flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Social indicators research, 97, 143-156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-009-9493-y

Edisherashvili, N., Saks, K., Pedaste, M., & Leijen, Ä. (2022). Supporting self-regulated learning in distance learning contexts at higher education level: systematic literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 792422. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.792422

Eleftheriades, R., Fiala, C., & Pasic, M. D. (2020). The challenges and mental health issues of academic trainees. F1000Research, 9. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.21066.1

Evans, T. M., Bira, L., Gastelum, J. B., Weiss, L. T., & Vanderford, N. L. (2018). Evidence for a mental health crisis in graduate education. Nature biotechnology, 36(3), 282-284. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.4089

Heublein, U., Ebert, J., Hutzsch, C., Isleib, S., König, R., Richter, J., & Woisch, A. (2017). Motive und Ursachen des Studienabbruchs an baden-württembergischen Hochschulen und beruflicher Verbleib der Studienabbrecherinnen und Studienabbrecher. DZHW Projektbericht, 6, 2017.

Holzer, J., Lüftenegger, M., Korlat, S., Pelikan, E., Salmela-Aro, K., Spiel, C., & Schober, B. (2021). Higher education in times of COVID-19: University students’ basic need satisfaction, self-regulated learning, and well-being. Aera Open, 7, 23328584211003164. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858421100316

Horta, H., Cattaneo, M., & Meoli, M. (2018). PhD funding as a determinant of PhD and career research performance. Studies in Higher Education, 43(3), 542-570. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2016.1185406

Jackman, P. C., & Sisson, K. (2022). Promoting psychological well-being in doctoral students: a qualitative study adopting a positive psychology perspective. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 13(1), 19-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-11-2020-0073

Janssen, S., van Vuuren, M., & de Jong, M. D. (2021). Sensemaking in supervisor-doctoral student relationships: revealing schemas on the fulfillment of basic psychological needs. Studies in Higher Education, 46(12), 2738-2750. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1804850

Keller, H. (2016). Psychological autonomy and hierarchical relatedness as organizers of developmental pathways. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 371(1686), 20150070. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0070

Kern, M. L., Benson, L., Steinberg, E. A., & Steinberg, L. (2016). The EPOCH measure of adolescent well-being. Psychological assessment, 28(5), 586. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000201

Levecque, K., Anseel, F., De Beuckelaer, A., Van der Heyden, J., & Gisle, L. (2017). Work organization and mental health problems in PhD students. Research policy, 46(4), 868-879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2017.02.008

Li, J., & Wang, R. (2024). Determining the role of innovative teaching practices, sustainable learning, and the adoption of e-learning tools in leveraging academic motivation for students’ mental well-being. BMC psychology, 12(1), 163. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01639-3

Maddens, L., Depaepe, F., Raes, A., & Elen, J. (2023). Fostering students’ motivation towards learning research skills: the role of autonomy, competence and relatedness support. Instructional Science, 51(1), 165-199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-022-09606-4

Ntoumanis, N., Ng, J. Y., Prestwich, A., Quested, E., Hancox, J. E., Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., ... & Williams, G. C. (2021). A meta-analysis of self-determination theory-informed intervention studies in the health domain: Effects on motivation, health behavior, physical, and psychological health. Health psychology review, 15(2), 214-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2020.1718529

Oudeyer, P. Y., & Kaplan, F. (2007). What is intrinsic motivation? A typology of computational approaches. Frontiers in neurorobotics, 1, 108. https://doi.org/10.3389/neuro.12.006.2007

Paechter, M., & Maier, B. (2010). Online or face-to-face? Students’experiences and preferences in e-learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(4), 292–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.09.004

Pelikan, E. R., Lüftenegger, M., Holzer, J., Korlat, S., Spiel, C., & Schober, B. (2021). Learning during COVID-19: the role of self-regulated learning, motivation, and procrastination for perceived competence. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, 24(2), 393-418. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-021-01002-x

Pramanik, S., & Khuntia, R. (2023). Decoding Unconditional Self-Acceptance: A Qualitative Report. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 41(4), 932-949. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-023-00517-y

Printer, L. (2023). Positive emotions and intrinsic motivation: A self-determination theory perspective on using co-created stories in the language acquisition classroom. Language Teaching Research, 13621688231204443. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688231204443

Pyhältö, K., Tikkanen, L., & Anttila, H. (2023). The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on PhD candidates’ study progress and study wellbeing. Higher Education Research & Development, 42(2), 413-426. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2022.2063816

Riggenbach, A., Goubert, L., Van Petegem, S., & Amouroux, R. (2019). Topical Review: Basic Psychological Needs in Adolescents with Chronic Pain—A Self‐Determination Perspective. Pain Research and Management, 2019(1), 8629581. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/8629581

Skinner, E. A., Kindermann, T. A., Vollet, J. W., & Rickert, N. P. (2022). Complex social ecologies and the development of academic motivation. Educational Psychology Review, 34(4), 2129-2165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09714-0

Tomás-Miquel, J. V., Expósito-Langa, M., & Nicolau-Juliá, D. (2016). The influence of relationship networks on academic performance in higher education: a comparative study between students of a creative and a non-creative discipline. Higher Education, 71, 307-322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-015-9904-8

Van den Broeck, A., Ferris, D. L., Chang, C. H., & Rosen, C. C. (2016). A review of self-determination theory’s basic psychological needs at work. Journal of management, 42(5), 1195-1229. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316632058

Van den Broeck, A., Vansteenkiste, M., De Witte, H., Soenens, B., & Lens, W. (2010). Capturing autonomy, competence, and relatedness at work: Construction and initial validation of the Work‐related Basic Need Satisfaction scale. Journal of occupational and organizational psychology, 83(4), 981-1002. https://doi.org/10.1348/096317909X481382

van Rooij, E., Fokkens-Bruinsma, M., & Jansen, E. (2021). Factors that influence PhD candidates’ success: the importance of PhD project characteristics. Studies in Continuing Education, 43(1), 48-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2019.1652158

van Tienoven, T. P., Glorieux, A., Minnen, J., Te Braak, P., & Spruyt, B. (2022). Graduate students locked down? PhD students’ satisfaction with supervision during the first and second COVID-19 lockdown in Belgium. Plos one, 17(5), e0268923. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268923

Vanslambrouck, S., Zhu, C., Pynoo, B., Lombaerts, K., Tondeur, J., & Scherer, R. (2019). A latent profile analysis of adult students’ online self-regulation in blended learning environments. Computers in Human Behavior, 99, 126-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.05.021

Vansteenkiste, M., Ryan, R. M., & Soenens, B. (2020). Basic psychological need theory: Advancements, critical themes, and future directions. Motivation and emotion, 44(1), 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-019-09818-1

Yıldırım, M., Aziz, I. A., Vostanis, P., & Hassan, M. N. (2024). Associations among resilience, hope, social support, feeling belongingness, satisfaction with life, and flourishing among Syrian minority refugees. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 23(1), 166-181. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332640.2022.2078918

Published
2024-08-30
How to Cite
Hoque, M., Singh, N., Shaik, J., & Pellissier, R. (2024). Enhancing Psychological Well-Being: Self-Regulated Learning, Motivation, and Emotions Among Doctoral Students in South Africa. Diversity: Disease Preventive of Research Integrity, 5(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.24252/diversity.v5i1.49723
Section
Article
Abstract viewed = 281 times