The relationship among motivational environment, autonomous self-regulation and personal variables in refugee youth: implications for mental health and youth leadership

Abstract

This study examined the influence of motivational conditions and personal variables of refugee youth on self-regulation to perform roles in a leadership programme designed for refugee youth. Eighteen refugee youth participated in this study, selected from those previously engaged in a pilot study (veterans, n = 4) and those newly recruited (novices, n = 14). Data for self-regulation were collected using the Situational Self-Regulation Questionnaire for Participation. Hierarchical linear modelling was utilized to test the study hypotheses. Results indicated that three personal variables including gender, experience in an autonomy-supportive environment and interaction effects between these two variables explained 37% of variance between participants in self-regulation. Furthermore, the type of motivational environment was a significant indicator, explaining the level of self-regulation. Participants in an autonomous-supportive environment reported 3.84 units higher self-regulation than those in a controlled environment (β₀₁= − 3.84, t = −3.30, df=18, p < 0.01). However, there was no interaction effect between variables and the type of motivational environment.

Keywords:

• autonomy
• refugee youth
• mental health
• leadership

Notes on contributors

Dr. Kiboum Kim is a Visiting Researcher in the School of Public Health at Indiana University Bloomington, and a Senior Research Associate at the GreenPlay for Research, Education, and Development (GPRED).

Dr. David M. Compton is a Professor Emeritus in the School of Public Health at Indiana University Bloomington, and a Senior Scholar at The Polis Center, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

Dr. Bryan McCormick is a Professor in the School of Public Health at Indiana University Bloomington.