Academic motivation through the experience of older women university students in Mexico during the 2025 school period
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35622//j.rie.2025.03.004Keywords:
education, women's education, motivation, old ageAbstract
In the educational context, academic motivation is an individual characteristic associated with various indicators of academic achievement. However, few studies have explored this variable among students over 60 years of age, creating a gap in the understanding of academic motivation in later life. The purpose of this study was to describe academic motivation from the experiences of older adult women enrolled in higher education. A qualitative and phenomenological study was conducted with the collaboration of six older adult women enrolled in two higher education academic programs, aged 60 to 65 years, using an interview guide to collect information. The content analysis identified five categories that make up academic motivation in older female university students: family support, self-fulfillment, academic support, job expectations, and amotivation. Among the findings, it is noteworthy that academic motivations focus on the support received from children and partners, the achievement of personal and professional goals, and the support of teachers. The findings are expected to inform the development of inclusive educational policies that promote the participation and persistence of older adults in university settings.
References
Afshar, M. T., Ziapour, A., Chaboksavar, F., Lajmiri, S., Yıldırım, M., & Mohammadkhah, F. (2025). Strategies to improve academic motivation in undergraduate nursing students in Iran: A qualitative content analysis. BMC Research Notes, 18(1), 334. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07322-z
Ahmad, L., Khaliq, R., Ahmed, A., Shahid, M., Usman, H., Ali, A., Sher, K., & Naeem, F. (2024). A comparative study of the meaning of life, academic motivation, learning styles, study habits, and academic achievement between university and college students in different educational institutions. Migration Letters, 21(S14), 525–544. https://doi.org/10.59670/ml.v21iS14.11300
Arias, J., Soto-Carballo, J. G., & Pino-Juste, M. R. (2022). Emotional intelligence and academic motivation in primary school students. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 35(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-022-00216-0
Atkinson, J. W. (1964). A theory of achievement motivation. En An introduction to motivation (pp. 240–268). Van Nostrand.
Bindoff, A. D., Summers, M. J., Hill, E., Alty, J., & Vickers, J. C. (2021). Studying at university in later life slows cognitive decline: A long-term prospective study. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 7(1), e12207. https://doi.org/10.1002/trc2.12207
Booysen, F., Botha, F., & Wouters, E. (2021). Conceptual causal models of socioeconomic status, family structure, family functioning and their role in public health. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 191. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10214-z
Bukhari, S., Butt, S., & Muhammad, Y. (2021). Understanding academic motivation of high achieving students with hearing impairment in higher education: A qualitative study. Global Sociological Review, 6(2), 17–25. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsr.2021(VI-II).03
Carrillo, M., Padilla, J., Rosero, T., & Villagómez, M. S. (2009). La motivación y el aprendizaje. Alteridad, 4(2), 20–33. https://doi.org/10.17163/alt.v4n2.2009.03
Celcima, D., Osmani, F., Bardhi, E. K., & Icka, E. M. (2024). The relationship between academic motivation and self-efficacy in undergraduate students: Kosovo case. Revista de Gestão - RGSA, 18(1), e07755. https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v18n1-193
Comisión Económica para América Latina. (2023, enero 10). Panorama del envejecimiento y tendencias demográficas en América Latina y el Caribe | CEPAL. CEPAL. https://www.cepal.org/es/enfoques/panorama-envejecimiento-tendencias-demograficas-america-latina-caribe
Dankhe, G. L. (1986). Investigación y comunicación. McGraw-Hill.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Díaz de León, C., Valtierra Oba, E. R., Anguiano Morán, A. C., Martínez Ávila, B., Lemus Loeza, B. M., & Galván Villalobos, G. (2025). Motivación académica y su relación con esfuerzo percibido en estudiantes de enfermería. Psicumex, 15(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.36793/psicumex.v15i1.750
Eegdeman, I., Plak, S., & Meeter, M. (2025). Relating students’ motivation trajectories in the first nine weeks of their vocational education program to dropout and persistence. Motivation and Emotion, 49(4), 364–383. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-025-10127-z
Espinosa-Vázquez, O., López-Toledo, G., & Sampieri-Cabrera, R. (2025). Relación entre motivación académica y trayectoria académica en estudiantes de odontología. Revista Odontológica Mexicana Órgano Oficial de la Facultad de Odontología UNAM, 28(4). https://doi.org/10.22201/fo.1870199xp.2024.28.4.87112
European Commission. (2024). Labour market and wage developments in Europe 2024—Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion – European Commission. European Union. https://op.europa.eu/webpub/empl/lmwd-annual-review-leaflet-2024/
Freud, S. (1915). Instincts and their vicissitudes. En Collected papers of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 4, pp. 60–83). Hogarth Press.
Gamboa, A. A., Prada, R., & Hernández, C. A. (2021). Expectativas laborales de estudiantes universitarios que cursan programas en el campo social. Revista Boletín Redipe, 10(11), 584–595. https://doi.org/10.36260/rbr.v10i11.1562
García-Jiménez, S. (2017). La motivación. Un factor determinante en el aprendizaje. Notandum, 155–162. https://doi.org/10.4025/notandum.44.13
González, I., Vázquez, M. A., & Zavala, M. A. (2021). La desmotivación y su relación con factores académicos y psicosociales de estudiantes universitarios. Revista Digital de Investigación en Docencia Universitaria, 15(2), e1392–e1392. https://doi.org/10.19083/ridu.2021.1392
González-Lorente, C., & Martínez-Clares, P. (2023). Expectativas de futuro de los universitarios en su proceso de inserción socio-laboral. REOP - Revista Española de Orientación y Psicopedagogía, 34(1), 83–101. https://doi.org/10.5944/reop.vol.34.num.1.2023.37417
Hu, H.-M. (2023). A qualitative study on why older adults may be reluctant to participate in learning activities. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 30(1), 39–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/14779714231191354
Hull, C. (1943). Principles of behavior. Appleton Century-Crafts.
Instituto Nacional de las Personas Adultas Mayores. (2021, marzo 22). Vejeces femeninas en México: Hacia una sensibilización de la feminización de la vejez en el marco del Día Internacional de la Mujer. gob.mx. http://www.gob.mx/inapam/articulos/vejeces-femeninas-en-mexico-hacia-una-sensibilizacion-de-la-feminizacion-de-la-vejez-en-el-marco-del-dia-internacional-de-la-mujer?idiom=es
Kotera, Y., Aledeh, M., Barnes, K., Rushforth, A., Adam, H., & Riswani, R. (2022). Academic motivation of indonesian university students: relationship with self-compassion and resilience. Healthcare, 10(10), 2092. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10102092
Latorre-Cosculluela, C., Sierra-Sánchez, V., Rivera-Torres, P., & Liesa-Orús, M. (2022). Emotional well-being and social reinforcement as predictors of motivation and academic expectations. International Journal of Educational Research, 115, 102043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2022.102043
Lin, X., Hu, Y., Chen, C., & Zhu, Y. (2023). The influence of social support on higher vocational students’ learning motivation: The mediating role of belief in a just world and the moderating role of gender. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 16, 1471–1483. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S402643
Maslow, A. (1968). Toward a psychology of being. Van Nostrand.
Maza, J. E., & Jiménez, M. S. (2022). Construcción de la categoría “expectativas profesionales”: Elecciones de formación y ejercicio laboral en las trayectorias escolares. Revista de la Educación Superior, 51(204), 43–64. https://doi.org/10.36857/resu.2022.204.2278
Noble, C., Medin, D., Quail, Z., Young, C., & Carter, M. (2021). How does participation in formal education or learning for older people affect wellbeing and cognition? A systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, 7, 2333721420986027. https://doi.org/10.1177/2333721420986027
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2025, febrero 21). Envejecimiento: Población mundial. https://www.who.int/es/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/population-ageing
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54–67. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1020
Santrock, J. (2014). Psicología de la educación. McGraw Hill.
Sociedad Mexicana de Psicología. (2009). Código ético del psicólogo (4a ed.). Trillas.
Stover, J. B., Bruno, F. E., Uriel, F., & Fernández Liporace, M. (2017). Teoría de la autodeterminación: Una revisión teórica. Perspectivas en Psicología, 14(2), 105–115.
Stover, J. B., Hoffmann, A. F., Iglesia, G., & Liporace, M. F. (2014). Predicting academic achievement: the role of motivation and learning strategies. Problems of Psychology in the 21st Century, 8(1), Continuous. https://doi.org/10.33225/ppc/14.08.71
Urdan, T., Solek, M., & Schoenfelder, E. (2007). Students’ perceptions of family influences on their academic motivation: A qualitative analysis. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 22(1), 7–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173686
Usán, P., & Salavera, C. (2018). School motivation, emotional intelligence and academic performance in students of secondary education. Actualidades en Psicología, 32(125), 95–112. https://doi.org/10.15517/ap.v32i125.32123
Vallerand, R. J., Blais, M. R., Brière, N. M., & Pelletier, L. G. (1989). Construction et validation de l’échelle de motivation en éducation (EME). Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 21(3), 323–349. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0079855
Wu, H., Li, S., Zheng, J., & Guo, J. (2020). Medical students’ motivation and academic performance: The mediating roles of self-efficacy and learning engagement. Medical Education Online, 25(1), 1742964. https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2020.1742964
Zambrano, E., Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2022). Partner contributions to goal pursuit: Findings from repeated daily life assessments with older couples. The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 77(1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab052
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 César De León, José De La Cruz, Andrea Alvarado (Autor/a)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
