Psychometric properties and factor analyses of the achievement motivation measure

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretically-driven instrument of achievement motivation and determine its validation. The Achievement Motivation Measure (AMM) is closely aligned with Atkinson and McClelland's (1948, 1953, 1961) theoretical constructs of achievement thoughts and behaviours. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis (CFA and EFA) methods evaluated the structural validity of a newly developed instrument, the AMM, by assessing achievement thoughts and behaviours. Participants included 632 graduate and undergraduate university students. EFA supported two factors (Achievement Thoughts and Achievement Behaviours) with 13 items. Findings of a CFA supported the modified two-factor model as fitting the data. The theoretically supported AMM effectively measured achievement motivation by assessing achievement thoughts and behaviours.

KEYWORDS:

• Achievement motivation
• achievement thoughts
• achievement behaviours
• scale development
• personality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Robert L. Smith is Professor, and Doctoral Program Coordinator in Counseling and Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, USA. Dr. Smith is the Past President of the American Counseling Association, National Career Development Association, and the International Association of Marriage and Family Counseling. Research interests include achievement motivation, instrument development, addictions, and family science.

Mehmet Akif Karaman is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance at the Kilis 7 Aralık University, Turkey. He has practised in psychiatric hospitals, community mental health agencies, school districts, and non-profit organisations. His research interests include achievement motivation, instrument development, cross-cultural studies, and counselling children and adolescents.

Richard S. Balkin is a Professor and Doctoral Program Coordinator at the University of Mississippi, USA. Dr. Balkin is the editor for the Journal of Counseling and Development, and Past President of the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling. His primary research interests include counselling outcomes, counselling adolescents, and research methods.

Saumya Arora is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Northern Arizona University, USA. She has research and professional interests in achievement motivation, instrument development and validation, programme evaluation, and mindfulness-based interventions.