Situational Academic Motivation Profiles in Health Sciences Students Using Cluster Analysis
Keywords:
Cluster analysis, health sciences students, academic motivation, situational motivation, self-determination theoryAbstract
Academic motivation was a determining factor for learning, well-being, and student retention in higher education; however, most studies analyzed it from variable-centered approaches, limiting the identification of differentiated motivational profiles. The objective was to identify situational academic motivation profiles among students in health-related programs through cluster analysis and to explore their association with sociodemographic variables. A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study was conducted with 152 students who completed the preparatory course for health-related programs at an Ecuadorian university. Academic motivation was assessed using the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS), which includes the dimensions of intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, external regulation, and amotivation. Motivational profiles were identified through K-means cluster analysis, while differences between profiles were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and associations with sociodemographic variables were examined using the chi-square test. Three differentiated motivational profiles were identified: high self-determination (44.1%), mixed profile (30.3%), and low self-determination (25.6%). Statistically significant differences were observed among the profiles in the four SIMS dimensions (p < 0.001). Significant associations were also found between motivational profiles and sex (p = 0.013), as well as students’ origin (p = 0.031), while no significant differences were found regarding ethnicity or type of high school. Cluster analysis allowed the identification of motivational profiles with clearly differentiated characteristics, highlighting the heterogeneity of academic motivation among health sciences students. Early identification of these profiles could contribute to the design of support strategies aimed at strengthening autonomous motivation, fostering university adaptation, and promoting student retention during the initial stages of professional training.
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