Motivational factors influencing research completion: A literature review for occupational therapy and health professions
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Abstract
Background: Graduate education, particularly at the master’s and doctoral levels, is crucial in developing advanced professional skills and fostering a researchoriented mindset. However, many students struggle to complete their research due to various motivational and institutional challenges. This literature review examines the factors influencing research completion in graduate school to provide insights into occupational therapy and related health professions, emphasizing the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors.
Objective: The primary goals of this review are to (1) identify the intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors that influence research completion, (2) explore the barriers to research completion at the graduate level, and (3) propose motivational strategies that graduate programs can adopt to support research completion among occupational therapy and other health professions.
Materials and methods: A literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including the ASEAN Citation Index, EBSCO, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The review focused on studies published between 2010 and 2024 investigating motivational strategies, barriers, and research completion in graduate school. A total of 17 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to frequency and thematic analyses to identify key themes and patterns.
Results: The thematic analysis revealed four key themes: (1) intrinsic motivation and personal growth, (2) external support and institutional resources, (3) barriers to research completion, and (4) improving support systems. The findings highlight that intrinsic factors such as personal satisfaction and ambition are crucial for research completion, while external factors like mentorship, institutional resources, and cultural context play significant roles. Identified barriers include imposter syndrome, inadequate supervision, and time management challenges. Enhancing mentorship, strengthening institutional support, and developing student skills are recommended to improve research completion rates.
Conclusion: This review underscores the importance of addressing intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors to support research completion among graduate students in occupational therapy and related health professions. By implementing targeted strategies that enhance mentorship, provide robust institutional support, and develop essential research skills, graduate programs can significantly improve research outcomes and advance evidence-based practice in health professions.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Personal views expressed by the contributors in their articles are not necessarily those of the Journal of Associated Medical Sciences, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University.
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