Mastery Motivation of University Students in Australia, Hungary, Bangladesh and Iran
Mastery Motivation of University Students in Australia, Hungary, Bangladesh and Iran

Summary/Abstract: This study trialed a newly developed measure of adult mastery motivation in four different cultural contexts. The Dimensions of Adult Mastery Motivation Questionnaire was translated into Hungarian and Persian languages. A total of 469 university students in Australia, Hungary, Bangladesh and Iran completed the questionnaire about their levels of persistence, preference for challenge, task absorption, and task pleasure. Cronbach alphas for the total mastery motivation scale and most subscales were acceptable to good. There were no differences in selfreported mastery motivation across the four countries, but significant gender differences were evident. In all countries except Hungary, male students reported higher levels of mastery motivation. The DAMMQ appears to be a useful measure of mastery motivation across diverse cultures. The findings provide some support for the universality of the theoretical construct of mastery motivation and suggest the potential need for universities to encourage and nurture female students in their striving for mastery. Given the importance of university education for a country’s prosperity, understanding the motivational factors that underlie academic success is imperative to inform policies and programs for increasing student retention and individual wellbeing.

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