Aziz, Che Rafidah and Mohd Noor, Mohamad Nabil and Ibrahim, Muhammad Faiz and Lin, Galvin Sim Siang and Azhary, Jerilee Mariam Khong and Lye, An Jie and Vadivelu, Jamuna and Foong, Chan Choong (2026) Assessing changes in academic motivation across medical training stages: a longitudinal study in Malaysia. Annals of Medicine, 58 (1). pp. 1-15. ISSN 0785-3890 E-ISSN 1365-2060
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Abstract
Introduction Sustained academic motivation is essential for the success and well-being of medical students. As students progress from pre-clinical to clinical training, the transition in learning environments is theorized to facilitate motivation internalisation, consistent with Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Unlike cross-sectional studies, a longitudinal approach allows tracking of individual changes over time, offering deeper insights into developmental trends. This study examined changes in academic motivation at the start of medical school, after pre-clinical training, and following two years of clinical training. Methods The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) was administered to 292 students from a five-year undergraduate medical programme in Malaysia across three stages: entry, post pre-clinical, and after two years of clinical training. Three cohorts (2016–2018) were followed longitudinally over seven years (2016–2022). Analysis involved confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate AMS and assess reliability using composite reliability (CR), followed by repeated measures ANOVA to examine motivational changes. Results CFA confirmed the AMS as valid and reliable. At entry, students showed moderate to high extrinsic and intrinsic motivation with low amotivation. Amotivation rose from Year 1 (M = 6.64) to Year 3 (M = 8.51) and Year 5 (M = 10.27). Identified regulation remained high in Year 1 (M = 23.37) and Year 3 (M = 23.57) before declining in Year 5 (M = 22.47). External and introjected regulation peaked in Year 3 (M = 18.92, 19.42) then dropped or stabilized in Year 5. Intrinsic motivation declined steadily across all domains from Year 1 to Year 5 (all p < .05). Conclusion The decline in intrinsic motivation and rise in amotivation highlight challenges in sustaining motivation through medical training. These trends may impact academic performance, mental health, and professional growth, underscoring the need for curriculum adaptations, mentorship, and stress-reduction initiatives to better support students.
| Item Type: | Article (Journal) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Academic motivation; extrinsic motivation; medical education; medical student; intrinsic motivation; longitudinal study |
| Subjects: | R Medicine > R Medicine (General) R Medicine > RK Dentistry |
| Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): | Kulliyyah of Dentistry Kulliyyah of Dentistry > Department of Restorative Dentistry |
| Depositing User: | Dr Galvin Sim Siang Lin |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Jan 2026 01:23 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Jan 2026 10:47 |
| Queue Number: | 2026-01-Q1926 |
| URI: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/126958 |
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