Authors: Subodh Kumar, Pooja Sharma & Dr Nisar Ahmad Wani
Abstract
This study aimed to find the relationship between achievement motivation and subjective well-being in male and female adolescents. In the current study, data from 200 adolescents (100 males and 100 females) using purposive sampling were collected. Deo-Mohan Achievement Motivation scale (nAch) by Pratibha Deo & Asha Mohan (2002) was used to assess achievement motivation and Subjective Well Being Inventory (SUBI) by R. Nagpal and H. Sell (1992) was used to assess subjective well-being of adolescents. Continuous variables were presented in the form of mean (±sd)/ median (range) and categorical variables were presented as number (%). Pearson correlation was used to find the correlation between continues variables according to distribution of the data. To compare the continuous variable between two groups, t-test was used. A p value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. This study showed that the female participants had higher level of subjective well-being and achievement motivation as compared to the male participants. But there was no significant difference in subjective well-being and achievement motivation of male and female participants (p>0.05). Further, there was no significant association between subjective wellbeing and achievement motivation of the participants (p>0.05). Also, no significant association was seen between age and subjective well-being (p>0.05), and age and achievement motivation (p>0.05).
Introduction
Adolescence is a very crucial and transitional phase of growth and development from childhood to young adult. We all experience many physical, psychological and emotional changes eventually leading towards maturation. However, it is a distinct, dynamic and complex stage marked by increased risk-taking behaviour and desires to form their own unique independent identity. Adolescence is usually associated with the teenage years.
‘World Health Organization’ defines an Adolescent as any person between ages 10 to 19 years. During this period adolescents experience a sense of separation from parents and surge for their roles in society which is a necessary step in the establishment of personal values which further leads to satisfied life. As on one hand they are considered rebellious and easily distracted by extrinsic forces but on the other hand they are daring, thoughtful, ambitious and infused with huge amount of energy, if directed appropriately can creates wonders in their lives. In urban settings like Delhi, there is high competition among adolescents which generates a sense of comparison among teenagers that may be detrimental for their well-being.
Subjective well-being (SWB) refers to how people experience and evaluate their lives and specific domains and activities in their lives. Over the past decade, interest in information about SWB (also called “self-reported wellbeing”) has increased markedly among researchers, politicians, national statistical offices, the media, and the public. The value of this information lies in its potential contribution to monitoring the economic, social, and health conditions of populations and in potentially informing policy decisions across these domains (Krueger et al., 2009; Layard, 2006).
Subjective well-being is basically the self-satisfaction from the positive effects of life while neglecting the negative effects. Subjective well-being is the state to measure how a person feel or thinks about their life. In words of Edward Diener, who first explored the concept of subjective well-being (SWB) in his article in 1984, proposed three components of SWB as- life satisfaction, pleasant emotions and unpleasant emotions. Subjective well-being emerged from the field of positive psychology is actually an elongation of hedonistic s well-being which describes humans yearning for HAPPINESS and SATISFACTION whilst dodging pains and sufferings. Happiness can be defined as a balance between encountered challenges and availability of skills to face them.”
According to the Achievement approach to motivation, the need for achievement drives accomplishment and performance and thereby motivates our behaviors. Achievement motivation could be explained as a tendency to achieve goals of higher standards, breaking previous targets, overcoming obstacles and forming a dynamic personality. “Achievement motivation is an internal wish or desire to meet standards of excellence following all environmental and achievement ethics” in light of the above statement, it can be inferred that highly achievement motivated adolescents shape their own behaviour to act responsibly i.e, they themselves take the charge of their success or failures. Adolescents with low achievement motivation try to search a target to blame for their failure.
Sigmund Freud and Henry A. Murry started to work on Achievement motivation in the late eighteenth century who laid the foundation of a motive. Our motives for achievement can range from biological needs to satisfying creative desires or realizing success. As adolescents are highly optimistic, energetic and persistent in doing what they desire, the level of achievement motivation could not only instigate academic performance but also their overall performance
In simple terms achievement motivation may be defined as the impetus to do well relative to some standards of excellence, a person with a strong need for achievement wants to be successful at some challenging tasks, not for profit or status but merely for the sake of doing well.
The present study will fill a significant gap in the literature by examining the subjective wellbeing in adolescents which has not been researched in relation with achievement motivation. Especially the topic will attempt to understand the influence of achievement motivation which drives the adolescents for competence or positive experiences in life and to bring a comprehensive model directing achievement with well-being. This will highlight the importance of goal directed motivation i.e achievement motivation in bringing subjective well-being.
Objectives
- To assess the achievement motivation of male and female adolescents.
- To assess the subjective well-being of male and female adolescents.
- To study the relationship between achievement motivation and subjective wellbeing of male and female adolescents.
- To study the impact of age on achievement motivation and subjective well-being of adolescents.
Methodology
Sample
200 adolescents within age of 10 – 19 years (100 boys and 100 girls) from Reasi district, Jammu were chosen as the sample for this study using purposive sampling was used for collecting the samples from the target population.
Tests/ tools for data collection
1. Test Of Achievement Motivation
Deo-Mohan Achievement Motivation scale (n-Ach) by Pratibha Deo & Asha Mohan (2002)
For studying the achievement motivation of the adolescents Deo-Mohan Achievement Motivation (n-Ach) Scale by Mrs. Pratibha Deo and Asha Mohan published by National Psychological Corporation Agra will be employed. It is the self-rating type and may be administered to individual and to the group with five points to rate viz always, frequently, sometimes, rarely, and never. It has no time limit. The scale has designed for use with the subjects ranging from 13 to 25 and above. The scale was in the statement form covering the areas of academic factors, factors of general field of interest, competition in curricular and co-curricular activities and social interest. Total number of items was 50 having the following distribution.
Out of these items 13 items were negative i.e. the item no. 1, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 32, 34, 37 and remaining were positive items.
Reliability of the Scale: Test-retest method was applied to obtain the reliability coefficient of the scale. Taking different sets of samples; the administration of the test was repeated on several occasions. These coefficients of reliability are sufficiently high and the scale can be taken as quite reliable for use.
Validity of the Scale: As far as validity)’ is concerned, in the first instance the item validity established by highlow discrimination method was accepted as the validity of the whole measure. Besides, this scale was also used for validating the projective test of achievement motivation. The coefficient of correlation between the scale and the projective test was observed to be 0.04, which speaks for the validity of the score also, the validity being of the concurrent nature.
Scoring: Two stencil keys were used for scoring, one for positive items and one for negative items. Positive items carry the weights of 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0, respectively for the categories of always, frequently, sometimes, rarely and never. The negative items were scored 0, 1,2, 3, and 4 for the same categories respectively that are given above. Separate keys for positive and negative items were provided. The total score is the summation of all the positive and negative items scores. The minimum scores obtained can be 0 (zero) and maximum can be 200, other scores ranging in between.
2. Test For Subjective Well-Being (Swb)
Subjective Well Being Inventory (SUBI) by R. Nagpal and H. Sell (1992)
The Subjective Well-being Inventory is approved by WHO, India. The test was developed by Dr. H. Sell and Dr. R. Nagpal. It has been standardized in adult Indian populations. SUBI is a composite measure of independent feelings about a variety of life concern on 11 factors, such as, general wellbeing- positive affect, expectation achievement congruence, confidence in coping, transcendence, family group support, social support, primary group concern, inadequate mental mastery, perceived ill health, deficiency in social contact, general wellbeing-negative affect. It consists 40 items to be answered in 3-point scale.
Scoring: According to the manual of the inventory, the scoring is as under:
In 19 of the 50 questions (questions 1-15, 21-23 and 28)- Value 3 was given if the respondent has selected the category 1 (very much); Value 2 was given if the respondent has selected the category 2 (to some extent); Value 1 was given to category 3 (not so much). In the remaining 21 questions (questions 16-20, 24-27 and 29-40)- Value 1 was given if the respondent has selected the category 1 (very much); Value 2 was given if the respondent has selected the category 2 (to some extent); Value 3 was given to category 3 (not so much). However, for questions 14, 27 and 29, if the respondent has selected category 4, value 0 (zero) was given. All the values were added to get the total score. The maximum score is 120. Higher the score, higher is the Subjective Well Being of a person. The total score can be interpreted summarily in the light of three broad score ranges: 40-60, 61-80 and 81-120 to have an overall picture of the well-being status. The mean score on normal adult Indian samples is 90.8 with standard deviation of 9.2. [Full Text]
