Exploring the Motivational Orientations of Counseling Graduate Students in Relation to Non-Counseling Graduate Students in the U.S.

Year 2019, Volume: 3 Issue: 2, 102 - 110, 02.12.2019

Cebrail Karayigit , Waganesh Zeleke Matthew Bundick

Abstract

This
quantitative study investigated different motivational orientations (e.g.
intrinsic/extrinsic and approach/avoidance) held by counseling graduate
students in relation to their level of education (e.g. master’s and doctoral),
and in relation to non-counseling graduate students. Using two well-validated
measures of motivation -The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS, Vallerand, Pelletier, Blais, Briere, Senecal,
& Vallieres,1992) and Achievement Goal Questionnaire- Revised (AGQ-
R, Elliot & Murayama, 2008), data were collected from graduate students (N= 205) enrolled in U.S. higher
education institutions. The findings revealed that counseling graduate students
more frequently experience intrinsic and performance-approach motivation, and
their motivational orientations vary based on their level of education.
Finally, the study addresses some of its limitations and recommendations for
future research based upon the results.

Keywords

Motivational orientations, Counseling students, U.S.

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