The first-year students' motives for attending university studies and study-related burnout in relation to academic achievement

• Published in: Learning and individual differences Vol. 97; p. 102165
• Main Authors: Hyytinen, Heidi, Tuononen, Tarja, Nevgi, Anne, Toom, Auli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-07-2022
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Higher education, first-year university studies; Motives for attending university studies; Study-related burnout; Motives for attending university studies; Academic achievement; Higher education, first-year university studies; Study-related burnout
• ISSN: 1041-6080; 1873-3425
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2022.102165

In the present study, students' (n = 881) motives for attending university studies and study-related burnout were investigated in relation to their first-year academic achievement. The results showed that students' motives for attending university and study-related burnout at the outset of studies were connected to each other and to academic achievement at the end of the first study year. The results further showed that study-related burnout was associated with study credits. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that students' risk of study-related burnout varied. Those students who reported a lower risk for study-related burnout more often emphasised a personal-intellectual motive, and they proceeded faster and were more successful in their first study year than students with obviously increased risk for study-related burnout. This study indicates that motives for attending university and study-related burnout should be considered when supporting the transition to university studies.
•Personal-intellectual motive was related to low burnout risk.•Default or expectation-driven motives were related to high burnout risk.•Personal-intellectual motive was associated with better academic achievement.•Four groups of risk for study-related burnout were identified.•The groups differed from each other in motives for attending university.