Work

Understanding motivational and demotivational patterns in higher education: psychometric evidence from a Chilean university sample

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Academic motivation plays an important role in students’ engagement, academic achievement, and persistence in higher education; however, the psychometric structure of motivational measures may vary across educational and cultural contexts. This study evaluated the psychometric performance of the Motivational and Demotivational Patterns in Academic Settings (MDPAS) scale among Chilean university students. Using a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design, data were collected from 356 undergraduate students enrolled at a public university in northern Chile. Exploratory analyses indicated a complex multidimensional structure. Parallel analysis suggested up to six potentially retainable factors, although support for the sixth factor was marginal. A theoretically informed five-factor exploratory solution accounted for 36.77% of the extracted variance but showed uneven factor definition and only partial correspondence with the original five-dimensional structure. Three factors were sufficiently defined to support subsequent model-based evaluation. A preliminary confirmatory factor analysis, estimated with WLSMV for ordinal indicators, yielded a refined 18-item, three-factor candidate configuration with substantially improved fit, χ 2 (132) = 415.586, p <0.001, CFI = 0.911, TLI = 0.897, RMSEA = 0.078, and SRMR = 0.079. Standardized factor loadings ranged from 0.538 to 0.864. Composite reliability was satisfactory for Factors 1 and 2 (CR = 0.892 and 0.776, respectively) and borderline for Factor 3 (CR = 0.689), whereas Average Variance Extracted remained below 0.50 across all factors, indicating incomplete convergent validity. HTMT values ranged from 0.182 to 0.301 and supported empirical differentiation among the retained factors. Associations with selected sociodemographic and academic variables were generally small and selective and were examined using the exploratory 23-item configuration prior to CFA refinement. Overall, the findings provide partial psychometric support for the MDPAS in this Chilean university sample and suggest that a more parsimonious three-factor representation may better characterize the observed motivational and demotivational response structure. Independent replication is required before stronger claims regarding structural stability, cross-cultural equivalence, or broader applied use can be made.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1825932

Authors: María Díaz Campillay, Héctor Fuentes Castillo

Institution: University of Atacama

Language: English

Topic: Education, Achievement, and Giftedness

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801