University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

An investigation of the relationship between educational attainment goals and motivation theory: a mixed-methods study of past and present graduate students in the United States

(USC Thesis Other)

An investigation of the relationship between educational attainment goals and motivation theory: a mixed-methods study of past and present graduate students in the United States

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content Running head: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 1
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT GOALS AND MOTIVATION THEORY: A MIXED-
METHODS STUDY OF PAST AND PRESENT GRADUATE
STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES
by
Kelly Lyn Tillman
____________________________________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
December 2017
Copyright 2017 Kelly Lyn Tillman
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 2
DEDICATION
This dissertation is dedicated to my smart, kind, and supportive mom, Kathy, who has
motivated me my entire life to pursue my dreams and strive for greatness, even when it is scary.
Every day I push myself to make her proud and happy through my personal and academic
accomplishments. I hope that this study can be added to our strong two-person family’s
successes. This one is for you, Mama. I love you.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 3
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The guidance and direction provided by my dissertation committee—Dr. Pedro Garcia
(chair), Dr. Rudy Castruita, and Dr. Leslie Ponciano—have been invaluable to me. Dr. Ponciano
has been a role model for me throughout both graduate degree experiences and has made a
difference for me academically and professionally in ways that I could not begin to express. I
credit my attempt at a doctoral degree to her and learning from her many accomplishments and
mentoring, as well as her constant encouragement. I am glad that she was on my team.
I was fortunate to have many close friends and colleagues who were willing to reflect
openly on their lives and experiences, both positive and negative, to strengthen the research on
motivation of lifelong academic goals and how to pave the way for others to achieve the same,
regardless of what they encounter in life.
I thank my friends, coworkers, and colleagues turned friends for their support throughout
this process. I am grateful to my cohort, who shared the experience. I would not have made it
through without Hagar and Julia. I am forever indebted for their friendship and the fun that we
had in earning our degrees together. I credit many of these accomplishments to having them to
lean on, to cry with, to vent with, and to laugh with. Everyone else, thanks for understanding,
encouragement, and distraction when I desperately needed it! May each always feel motivated to
pursue dreams and know with certainty that I will offer the same love and support throughout the
journey.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication 2
Acknowledgments 3
Abstract 6
Chapter 1: Overview of the Study 7
Background of the Problem 7
Statement of the Problem 9
Purpose of the Study 10
Research Questions 11
Limitations of the Study 11
Definition of Terms 12
Organization of the Dissertation 13
Chapter 2: Literature Review 14
Upbringing and Familial Influence on Achievement 14
Cultural and Relational Expectations 14
Family Dynamics 16
Educational Achievement and Influence 17
Socioeconomic Status and Development 18
Nutrition and Cognitive Development 18
Socioeconomic Status and Culture 19
Community Access and Local Outlets for Support 20
Academic Support and Potential Success 21
Opportunities for Support in School 21
Academic Role Models and Influence on Achievement 23
Goal Orientation Theory and Motivation 24
Chapter Summary 25
Chapter 3: Methods 27
Restatement of the Problem 27
Purpose of the Study 27
Research Questions 28
Design Summary 29
Participants 30
Instrumentation and Protocols 31
Data Collection Protocols and Analysis 32
Chapter 4: Results 33
Participant Demographics 33
Interviews 33
Surveys 34
Focus of the Study 34
Report of Findings 35
Research Question 1 38
Research Question 2 39
Research Question 3 42
Research Question 4 43
Chapter 5: Conclusion 49
Research Questions 50
Summary of Findings 50
Upbringing and Familial Influence on Achievement 51
Cultural and Relational Expectations 51
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 5
Family Dynamics 51
Educational Achievement and Influence 52
Socioeconomic Status and Achievement 52
Nutrition and Cognitive Development 52
Socioeconomic Status and Culture 53
Community Access and Local Outlets for Support 53
Academic Support and Potential Success 53
Opportunities for Support in School 53
Academic Role Models and Influence on Achievement 54
Goal Orientation Theory and Motivation 54
Implications for Practice and Possibilities for Field Growth 55
Limitations of the Study 57
Future Research 58
Conclusion 59
References 61
Appendices
Appendix A: Interview Protocol 64
Appendix B: Interview Direct Quotes 67
Appendix C: Survey Questions and Results 68
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 6
ABSTRACT
This study explores current and previous master’s and doctoral students’ backgrounds
and motivations for completing a graduate degree in the United States, incorporating goal
orientation theory into the findings. The purpose of the study was to understand the motivations
for continuing education to contribute new insights into future educational policy, support staff at
community colleges and universities, and enhance admissions processes for students who are
considering the possibility of attending graduate school. Through interviews and online surveys,
this study applied a mixed-methods design. The participants had completed a graduate degree or
were currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program. The results showed that students at the
graduate level utilized strategies for success either by their self-driven motivations or through
support by academic role models, even more so than parents, who encouraged higher
achievement. Parents were most often motivators in terms of their reflection on past failures and
regret, which gave the participants a sense of higher value in postsecondary achievement. Goal
orientation was present in participants who cited achievement as a priority to avoid failure or to
master their respective fields through personal interest. This study begins to bridge the gap in
research in motivational theory in terms of student achievement beyond an undergraduate degree
and how academic professionals can support potential graduate school candidates.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 7
CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
The current academic community is comprised of a variety of people from many
backgrounds, cultures, family styles, and experiences. The global postsecondary community is
growing and changing as these people bring their own knowledge and research to their
prospective fields. Being diligent and dedicated to achieving personal and professional goals is
part of the academic landscape. However, the motivation behind these aspirations remains a fluid
and sometimes unknown component of the end result.
Background of the Problem
Every person has a own personal life map that paints a picture of the neighborhoods in
which that person has lived, the socioeconomic status with which that person is most familiar,
the culture and career paths of parent or parents, and the goals and life lessons learned
throughout his or her upbringing. Whether or not upbringing and longitudinal surroundings truly
play a role in overall success post high school, academically and professionally, is explored in
this study. While research has shown that elementary school students with high parent
involvement exhibited more initiative and independence during high school and achieved higher
grades (Bronfrenbrenner, 1994), there is to date no evidence to assume that this impact carries
over to graduate school.
A longitudinal study, the ELS:2002, by Lauff and Ingels (2014) offered both qualitative
and quantitative data from multilevel surveys and questionnaires completed by high school
sophomores in 2002, with a follow-up 10 years later, documenting their progress and
achievement levels. Findings showed that the highest levels of education were Bachelor’s
degrees or higher (33%), Associate degrees (9%), undergraduate certificates (10%),
postsecondary attendance but no credential (32%), high school diplomas or equivalent (13%),
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 8
and less than high school completion (3%). While this study showed that many of the
participants held Bachelor’s degree or higher, there was also equal representation in
postsecondary attendance without credential. These data show a possibility of a lack of support
or guidance for students in a variety of contexts, reflecting attendance but absence of completion
for unknown reasons.
Liu and Xie (2014) conducted a study on Asian American and White American families
and the ways in which their socioeconomic status affected their young children’s academic
achievement. One of the primary findings was that the Asian-White achievement gap could be
traced back to ethnic differences in behaviors and attitudes. There is little to no literature
exploring the role of ethnic differences in the pursuit or achievement of graduate degrees.
Parents who are in graduate school could potentially offer valuable insight into their own
cultures and their views of achievement. Liu and Xie’s (2014) study offers insight into the
possible motivation and success of students who attend graduate school as adults.
Bradley and Corwyn (2002) discussed how socioeconomic status is directly associated
with health, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes for children from before birth through
adulthood. This presents an opportunity for research specifically designed to explore the holistic
attributes that may set up an individual who is either on the pathway to success from the
beginning or who has found success through personal resiliency. This could be related to
parental styles, experiences, or hardships that arise due to socioeconomic status or mental state,
or the level of support received in the classroom. Child well-being has been linked to access to
material resources and social opportunities, as well as to the methods by which children react to
stress-inducing conditions (Bradley & Corwin, 2002). With the findings reported by Bradley and
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 9
Corwin (2002) and Liu and Xie (2014) in mind, the concept of whether parents play a role in
their family’s educational attainment is a component of this study.
What people learn through everyday experiences can influence their interpretation of the
world in which they live and guide future action, with these environmental pieces as a significant
although sometimes unconscious consideration. In the United States, only 9% of the population
had completed a master’s degree or higher as of 2015 (National Center for Education Statistics,
2016). The possibility that this rate of postsecondary academic achievement has a connection to
previous life experiences is limited in research in the current field and poses an opportunity for
further study. Schunk, Pintrich, and Meece (2014) discussed the effect of gender and ethnic
differences on achievement, stating that women tend to be more likely to attribute their personal
successes to external factors, such as luck, or to unstable causes, such as effort. This may, in the
future, influence personal goals and motivation to attain a higher level of education or
professional development.
Statement of the Problem
With the low percentage of U.S. postsecondary students in consideration, it is important
to understand emerging associations between parenting style during a student’s upbringing,
socioeconomic status, parents’ education levels, perceptions of personal relationships, and
emotional experiences as a whole in relation to educational goals for pursuing and completing a
master’s or doctoral degree. The limited research available on motivation for postsecondary
achievement leaves room for further exploration. Are students motivated by the achievement of
an advanced degree or do they desire to use the degree to become leaders for public or personal
recognition? Are past experiences pivotal in the decision to pursue a graduate degree? The lack
of a rich database indicates a lack of understanding about how to encourage and support students
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 10
of all backgrounds and experiences. A study with this focus can inform a variety of educational
and health service personnel, such as student support staff and mental health professionals at the
university level.
Purpose of the Study
This study explored current and previous master’s and doctoral students’ backgrounds
and motivations for attending and completing a graduate degree in the United States. By
understanding the motivations behind continuing education, future educational policy, support
staff at the university level, and future admissions processes can have a new perspective on the
influences that bring students to the master’s and doctoral arena. This study offers a unique outlet
for graduate students to reflect on their choices and experiences, which can, in turn, produce a
stronger and more introspective leader.
Academic and personal support strategies for students may benefit from the results of this
study. What is learned about a candidate’s experiences can be taken into consideration to
encourage pursuit and achievement of a graduate degree. The motivation of students to apply,
attend, and persist in graduate school may offer valuable insight into the support that is offered to
students at the university level. The data that emerge from this study will add to the knowledge
base for the motivational psychology community, academic support services, and admissions
services.
Goal orientation theory served as the framework for the study, as a means to analyze the
components of motivation that have the potential to play a part in graduate students’ decision
making. The components of goal orientation theory focus on either mastery goals or performance
goals, the driving forces behind the motivation for completing a task. These tasks can be minute
and simple or large and life changing. However, there is most often a reason behind their
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 11
completion, whether for public recognition of success with their performance or intrinsic
achievement in realizing a highly prioritized objective. This theory’s lens assisted in
understanding the origin of graduate students’ motivation and the ways in which they can be
supported throughout their academic careers and beyond. The theory was used in the analysis of
the data collected as a means of interpreting the source of motivation.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided this study:
1. What key elements influence a student’s motivation to attend graduate school?
2. What is the relationship between past family academic achievement and educational
attainment?
3. What strategies do successful graduate students use in continuing their education?
4. To what degree are students oriented to mastery or performance goals when pursuing
postgraduate work?
Limitations of the Study
Motivational traits are not easily observable, which presents as a limitation throughout
the study. The data are completely self-reported by the study participants, based on past
experiences, which also presents a limitation because of the passing of time, or maturation.
However, this limitation can also be seen as a strength of the study, as each person knows the
most about why he or she decided to pursue graduate studies and how he or she achieved the
goal. No other method could provide the details that self-reported data can provide in terms of
this study.
The study participants were graduate students within the researcher’s personal and
professional networks, which may have altered the responses. Some of the interview questions
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 12
may have been perceived as heavily personal and, while participants were not obligated to
answer them, the responses leave an opportunity for wary participants to leave out valuable
information. However, this could have had the opposite effect on the study as rapport between
the interviewer and the participant had already been established.
The majority of the participants lived in the same geographical area, which may have had
an influence on the population and the opportunities or experiences that they brought to the
study. However, experiences prior to graduate school, such as residing in other states or
countries, create data that make the findings more generalizable and relatable to a larger variety
of people. A threat to generalizability could relate to the situational specifics of the interviews or
the location at which the participants completed the survey, depending on their mood, time of
day, and distracting or unpleasant noises.
Definition of Terms
Educational attainment: The highest level of education completed.
Attributions: perceived causes of outcomes (Schunk et al., 2014).
Goal orientation theory: A theory that defines why and how people are trying to achieve
various objectives and refers to overarching purposes of achievement behavior (Kaplan &
Maehr, 2007).
Graduate student: A student who has completed more than a bachelor’s degree and is in
the process of completing a master’s degree or higher.
Mastery goal orientation: The goal of increasing one’s competence through learning
skills, mastering tasks, self-improvement, and understanding new material; also called a learning
goal, task-involved goal, or task-focused goal (Schunk et al., 2014).
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 13
Performance goal orientation: The goal of appearing smart to others, doing better than
others, avoid appearing to be stupid, and having others believe that one is competent; also called
an ego-involved goal, an ability-focused goal, or relative ability goal (Schunk et al., 2014).
Organization of the Dissertation
This dissertation is organized into five chapters. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the
study, the context, and the purpose. Chapter 2 presents a review of current literature on common
academic expectations in relation to culture, socioeconomic status, and their effects on academic
success or failure through local access to support systems and parental upbringing traits such as
nutrition and the bonds between family members as an effect on later successes. Motivation
theory in relation to each of these aspects is addressed in the chapter. Chapter 3 describes the
methodology for surveying and interviewing past and current graduate students. The data
gathered through this process is reported and discussed in Chapter 4. The dissertation concludes
in Chapter 5 with a discussion of the findings from the data collection, implications of the study,
and recommendations for future research and support at the academic level.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 14
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Research on graduate students and the achievements they have striven for in the
academic and professional arenas has, thus far, been shown to be lacking. The relationships
among culture, upbringing, and the motivation to set and achieve lifelong goals are present, but
among those who accomplish more than a bachelor’s degree, there is room for further
investigation. This literature review explores the current literature on culture and family
dynamics within the context of academia, socioeconomic status and its implications in terms of
nutrition and community access, and the relationship between academic support and success in
school prior to postsecondary experience. A review of current literature on goal orientation and
motivation theory in relation to these topics concludes this chapter.
Upbringing and Familial Influence on Achievement
Cultural and Relational Expectations
Liu and Xie (2014) conducted a study on culture and the Asian-White achievement
difference. Asian Americans have most commonly been seen as a model minority, a result of
their relatively high levels of academic performance and attainment in school. In comparison to
U.S. Whites and other racial or ethnic groups, Asian Americans statistically perform better and
achieve higher test scores. They are also more likely to complete high school and college
degrees, earn postgraduate degrees, and attend more high-performing, competitive universities
(Liu & Xie, 2014).
There is significant interest in finding an explanation for these statistics of educational
attainment within the Asian American community. Current research suggests that this might be a
result of their perceived advantage in structural resources, connecting the culture to higher
socioeconomic levels, which will be discussed in its respective section. Researchers have
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 15
proposed that Confucianism shows heavy influence on this priority and population, as well as the
selectivity of Asian immigrants to the United States and their strong optimism about education’s
value for social mobility (Liu & Xie, 2014).
The theory of relative deprivation, or the concept that individuals evaluate their standing
relative to the accomplishments or standing of their neighborhood, offers insight into the
community’s potential effects on a family’s perception of success or failure (Bradley & Corwyn,
2002). Schunk et al. (2014) discussed the effect of gender and ethnic differences on achievement,
stating that women tend to be more likely to attribute their personal successes to external factors
such as luck or unstable causes such as effort. They suggested that a female sees failure as
typically being attributed to internal and stable factors, such as lack of ability. Similarly, research
has suggested that White Americans are more likely to attribute successes or failures internally,
or by effort and ability, while African Americans typically prefer external attributions, such as
luck and the difficulty of the task at hand (Schunk et al., 2014).
The structure of the brain and further development may be culturally related. Culture has
an important role as a “compensatory mechanism” in the decline in cognitive ability. Neural
changes in the organization of cells and the structure of the brain may occur due to culture,
which can occur even as early as the childhood years. Cultural variation and the reasoning that
individuals consider later in life can directly influence their decisions because of environmental
influences and biological constraints (Chiao, Cheon, Pornpattananangkul, Mrazek, & Blizinsky,
2013). Cultural influences and expectations from a young age and throughout development can
assist in decision making and aspirations as one nears the time to consider academic or
professional goals.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 16
Family Dynamics
A family’s economic situation may be, in part, correlated with the stress level that the
parents experience. Parents’ psychological health, parenting skills, the amount of time spent with
the child, the social capital available to the family, the home environment, and the quality of
parent-child interactions are all potential products of socioeconomic status (Barajas et al., 2007).
These factors may, in turn, create a foundation of self-efficacy and goal orientation toward
academic achievement and educational attainment.
Research by Bradley and Corwyn (2002) on parenting skills and styles in terms of
success reported that high socioeconomic-level parents typically engaged in more meaningful,
cognitively stimulating conversations, frequently reading to their children and providing more
teachable moments with richer dialogue and contingent responsiveness with the intent to enhance
the children’s speech. These parents maintained teaching styles, with more instances of
scaffolding and more complex verbal practice. Low socioeconomic-level parents were less likely
to buy books and learning materials for their children, less likely to bring their children to events
of educational and cultural value, and less likely to show restraint related to television exposure.
A result of these qualities was shown to be more frequent school failure, which leads to a path of
conduct problems and/or withdrawal academically and emotionally (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002).
Barajas et al. (2007) explored the concept of the family stress model, through which they
addressed the effects of poverty on parents and their children. Persistent levels of poverty within
a household lead to a struggle to supply food, shelter, safety, and clothing, producing higher
levels of depression and anxiety and resulting in a negative association with warm and loving
parenting strategies. Poverty has been linked to harsh parenting and physical discipline, as well
as a lower level of parental supportiveness and warmth and less attentive and responsive
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 17
presence (Barajas et al., 2007). Parents at the poverty level typically do not receive many
opportunities for social support and outlets for learning effective disciplinary practices (Jackson,
Brooks-Gunn, Huang, & Glassman, 2000).
The support that parents receive can influence their own practices in the home. If parents
have access or insight into how they can maintain positive parenting practices despite outside
stressors, financial strains have been shown to be less significant to a child’s overall success.
While a family might live in poverty, parents who have positive and supportive relationships
with their children are more likely to uphold a lifestyle that can reduce developmental hurdles
that are typically present in low socioeconomic communities. Positive parental behaviors directly
influence self-esteem and achievement in their children (Barajas et al., 2007). Studies have
shown that, when parents use positive strategies in raising their children, school achievement
through skill building and appropriate behavior is significantly more present (Bradley &
Corwyn, 2002).
Educational Achievement and Influence
Bradley and Corwyn (2002) suggested that low parental education is associated with low
levels of academic achievement and IQ later in life. When comparing mothers’ and fathers’
educational attainment, maternal education was a greater predictor of intellectual achievement
than was paternal education. Few studies have focused on the relationship between parental
occupation and cognitive development. However, mothers who work in a career with many tasks
and opportunities to practice problem solving offered more warmth and support toward their
children, as well as more opportunities to practice cognitive abilities and strengthen skills
(Bradley & Corwyn, 2002). In essence, the strategies that parents use at home are most typically
the strategies that they also use in the workplace.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 18
Hoff (2003) dedicated research in the field toward child development and maternal
speech through the context of socioeconomic status, the topic of the next section of this literature
review. Children from low socioeconomic status families build their vocabularies at a slower rate
than those who are raised in a higher socioeconomic status. Hoff suggested that vocabulary
knowledge and mastery may be related to factors such as biologically based differences in
student abilities, the global effects of family function and the home environment, or language
learning experiences (Hoff, 2003). Children from disadvantaged homes had fewer language
skills than those from advantaged ones (Hoff, 2003), which may also relate to academic
experience and the level of education that parents have earned, as well as their overall
socioeconomic status and income levels.
Socioeconomic Status and Achievement
Nutrition and Cognitive Development
Socioeconomic status may have a direct connection to nutrition and brain development in
a child, which is the foundation of a successful individual both in school and in future careers.
The quality and the amount of food to which a family has access can be highly dependent on
socioeconomic status and financial means. A family living in poverty lacks the goods and
services that would be considered necessary for overall human well-being (Barajas et al., 2007;
Bradley & Corwyn, 2002).
The implications of this availability can have lifelong results in terms of brain
development as a child and healthy eating habits as an adult. Brands et al. (2012) studied the
effects of diet on children’s mental state. Cognitive functioning is a broad term used to represent
the range of functions and processes associated with the brain. These functions can be
characterized in six main domains: perception, psychomotor functions, attention, memory and
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 19
learning, language and executive functions; each of these can be subdivided even more into
specific modalities (Brands et al., 2012). These domains are closely interwoven and may be
regulated by a range of other factors, such as motivation, arousal, and mood. Consistent levels of
malnutrition can create a negative parent-child dynamic, as lack of energy may make a child
lethargic and unable to practice self-control, creating the potential for the parent to become less
sensitive and supportive of the child (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002).
Many studies have investigated the effects of nutritional interventions across a range of
cognitive domains, particularly attention and memory. Results from the cited studies include the
finding that a carbohydrate-rich, protein-poor meal is sedating, while a protein-rich,
carbohydrate-poor meal tends to produce mental arousal and improved reaction times. This
creates a rise in blood glucose, enhancing memory and reaction times (Brands et al., 2012). In
addition to specific nutrients and their role in cognitive development and function, eating habits
such as skipping breakfast are considered to contribute potentially to poor mental performance.
Breakfast may have an effect on cognitive performance by providing essential nutrients
to the brain, as well as alleviating hunger. A lack of energy leads to decreased glucose and
insulin levels in the body, which may be associated with impaired cognitive functioning (Brands
et al., 2012). If such a lack of energy provision to the brain occurs on a regular basis, it may be
reflected in the success or lack thereof in school performance. Differences in typical cognitive
ability of children in and out of poverty are equal or greater by 5 years of age, and these delays
increase the probability of lower academic achievement and dropout (Barajas et al., 2007).
Socioeconomic Status and Culture
Reflecting on the previous section regarding family influences on achievement, Liu and
Xie (2014) reported that socioeconomic status was the most important predictor in a child’s
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 20
academic achievement, connected with the high levels of education and income of Asian
American immigrants. This is viewed as an advantage in providing academic resources for
offspring but it is not the only predictor of achievement. Liu and Xie (2014) noted that this does
not explain academic achievement levels in children whose parents came from Southeast Asian
countries, and that this population is perceived to have had low levels of human capital and
economic resources.
Bae and Wickrama (2014) conducted a similar investigation with a population of Korean
adolescents in the Korea Welfare Panel Study. This study applied the family stress model and the
family investment model which Barajas et al. (2007) also cited as supporting their findings. The
findings reported by Bae and Wickrama (2014) were similar to those reported by Liu and Xie
(2014) in that the more economic pressure the family was experiencing, the lower the level of
monitoring of children and higher levels of parental depression. In the Korean culture, there is a
strong influence to be a highly involved parent and to contribute to the economic investment that
children’s education offers (Bae & Wickrama, 2014).
Community Access and Local Outlets for Support
The earlier the effects of poverty take place in a child’s development, the more
detrimental and long-lasting are the effects (Barajas et al., 2007). This poses the question of
whether community access and support from local institutions have a significant effect on the
success of a family in the low socioeconomic group. Limited income can influence the amount of
cognitively stimulating toys and materials for children in the home, as well as many of the
learning experiences that children have throughout early development (Barajas et al., 2007).
According to Bradley, Corwyn, Burchinal, McAdoo, and Coll (2001), not only do children of all
ages who come from families in poverty have extremely limited access to these learning
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 21
materials; they are less likely to go to local community buildings such as museums and libraries,
attend events geared toward performing arts, or participate in activities geared toward
strengthening their skills.
The concept of collective socioeconomic status in the community was presented by
Bradley and Corwyn (2002) but it was limited in current data. Their most consistent finding was
that living in a wealthy community had positive academic benefits in school readiness and
achievement, more commonly for European Americans than for members of minorities.
However, Liu and Xie (2014) proposed that, based on research showing that even Asian
American children from low socioeconomic communities tend to achieve higher grades than
children from other cultures, access to better resources at home and in the community is not
always the most predictive factor for success in school. This suggestion shows an opportunity for
further research on the topic, with socioeconomic status being a possible component, not a
correlation, of academic achievement throughout the course of a student’s lifetime.
Academic Support and Potential Success
Opportunities for Support in School
Teachers’ attitudes and expectations have the potential to play an important part in a
student’s success and future goal orientation, equal to influences at home. Studies focused on
students in low socioeconomic areas have shown a link between teacher support and behavior
problems and school failure. Research has shown that teachers tend to perceive students from
poverty in a less positive and productive manor, both academically and in self-regulatory skills
(Bradley & Corwyn, 2002). Other conclusions have been drawn regarding teachers’ feedback
and levels of attention academically, as teachers typically provide poor students with less
reinforcement for good performance and achievements. Thus, children who have less experience
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 22
with positive feedback and support prior to school entry and during their academic years are
more likely to reflect their teachers’ negative stereotypes (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002).
Another outlet for support in school may present itself in extracurricular activities.
Darling, Caldwell, and Smith (2005) addressed this concept in terms of leisure, as extracurricular
activities provide students with highly structured developmental opportunities that they might
not receive in a classroom. Developmental and leadership-based activities can build school spirit
and a sense of community, as well as offer a context in which students can explore their
identities and skill building in a topic that they enjoy and feel intrinsically motivated to
accomplish. Extracurricular activities can provide access to new social networks and resources
that may be unavailable outside of this type of opportunity (Darling et al., 2005).
Students with extracurricular experiences are offered more opportunities to socialize with
peers and adults, practice goal setting and achievement, engage in competition, recover from
defeat and loss in games and competitions, and use peaceful or resourceful conflict resolution
(Darling et al., 2005). Participation in activities at school allows students to acquire social capital
and see value in themselves, as well as in their achievements and relationships. Practice and
mastery in these skills at any age may support students throughout their academic careers, thus
setting them up for more reflection into topics about which they aspire to learn more or, on a
more grand level, work toward achievement in the postsecondary field.
As social creatures, humans tend to look at others as strong influences on their own
successes. Humans perceive other peoples’ feelings and the actions that those people take in
relation to their own. As Immordino-Yang (2011) discussed, people experience vicariously the
feelings and actions of others as if they were their own. Social emotions and the thoughts or
actions that are associated with them are biologically built but, connecting to previous sections of
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 23
this study, they are culturally shaped. The actions of others are often interpreted in the context of
one’s own social, emotional, and cognitive experiences. Emotion plays an important role in
problem solving, both consciously and nonconsciously, and knowledge and skills apply to this
construct (Immordino-Yang, 2011).
Past learning and emotional evaluation can ultimately be the deciding factors in one who
is deciding whether or not to pursue something. Linnenbrink-Garcia and Pekrun (2011) noted the
importance and effect of emotions on achievement. They noted that, if one understands how
emotions unfold and relate to motivation, cognitive processes, and academic performance across
time, one will better be able to support students as they face hardships or challenges.
Academic Role Models and Influence on Achievement
Bradley and Corwyn (2002) discussed the concept of collective socialization theory, or
the idea that role models and consistent support are imperative for healthy, adaptive functioning.
These role models may be found during the school day or in the extracurricular setting, in the
form of teacher, coach, or peer. Research by Herrmann et al. (2016) focused on academic
performance by women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and the
possible effects of a female role model on their success. Women are statistically more likely than
men to leave the STEM field, partly because of the lack of relatable role models in the form of
colleagues, teaching assistants, and professors. This may result in the feeling of not belonging or
being unsure of social bonds. The field has an underrepresentation of women and the need for
more STEM professionals is exceptionally high (Herrmann et al., 2016).
Role models assist in performance by reducing concerns about representation in a group,
breaking through stereotypical threats, and supporting students in their success by relating on a
personal level. Exposure to role models increases career motivation, identification, standardized
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 24
test performance, the perception of success, and academic and professional goals; it also reduces
the presence of self-stereotyping (Herrmann et al., 2016). Overexposure to stereotypical male
role models has resulted in lowering women’s personal interest in the subject, feelings of
belonging in a field, and perceived success in STEM because of their lack of relativity and
similarity (Herrmann et al., 2016).
Goal Orientation Theory and Motivation
Goal orientation is analyzed by mastery or performance, sometimes referred to as task-
involved or ego-involved goals (Schunk et al., 2014). Mastery goal orientation is an individual’s
purpose of developing competence, with students focused on learning, understanding, and
mastering skills or information (Kaplan & Maehr, 2007). Performance goal orientation is an
individual’s sense of competence and demonstrating skills in comparison to the skills of others
(Kaplan & Maehr, 2007). Performance-oriented students strive to manage the impression that
they have greater abilities than peers or that they are avoiding the perception that they have low
abilities. Studies of performance goal orientation have shown no association with positive
outcomes and weak or moderate associations with self-efficacy, academic performance, effective
learning strategies, and positive attitude (Kaplan & Maehr, 2007).
While each person has distinct characteristics, there is also the possibility of an overlap of
academic and professional goals. Mastery and performance goal orientations can take on two
forms: mastery avoidant or mastery approach (Schunk et al., 2014). A student could be mastery
approach oriented, focusing on mastering, learning, and understanding a task as its initial form.
This student would have personal standards of self-improvement, progress, and a strong
foundation of understanding. The second form, mastery avoidant, reflects a student who focuses
on avoiding misunderstanding material and avoiding learning or mastering the task. This student
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 25
strives to do well on a task, not to outperform peers but to achieve personal goals (Schunk et al.,
2014).
Performance goal orientation can also take one of two forms. The performance approach-
oriented student focuses on being the best or the smartest in comparison to others. The goal is to
get the highest marks in class, to be the top performer. A performance-avoidant student focuses
on avoiding being the worst in the class, out of fear of looking stupid or dumb in comparison to
classmates. This student strives to not have the lowest grade in a class, to avoid being the lowest
performer (Schunk et al., 2014).
Chapter Summary
Students of all cultures and backgrounds have the opportunity to make the world a better
place through their aspirations, goals, and personal experiences that inspire and motivate them to
achieve their full potential. However, research on motivation and the ways in which a student is
shaped, beginning in the adolescent years shows a lack of longitudinal data on students who
continue their education with these various backgrounds and qualities of life. It also shows a lack
of sufficient research on the relationship between parental occupation and cognitive
development.
How each of the components of an upbringing, whether by socioeconomic status, parent
influence, culture, access to positive role models and other academic support systems, or a
mixture of these, relates to the eventual aspirations and achievements presently has very little
research dedicated to the question. Socioeconomic status and its relationship to future success
have presented weak support. Children from disadvantaged homes may have fewer language
skills, which could potentially relate to academic success or failure and could also be seen as
directly correlating with the parents’ level of education. A parent’s level of education can be seen
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 26
as an advantage through the potential provision of supportive academic resources for children,
but it is not the only predictor of success.
There is an opportunity for further research on the topic of motivation and achievement
through obtaining a graduate degree, with socioeconomic status as a consideration but not
showing a direct effect on lifelong aspirations. This study addressed each of these components
through analysis of qualitative and quantitative data gathered via a survey and interviews. It is
intended that the findings will add to the limited evidence on motivation and goal orientation
through past experiences and eventual completion of a master’s and/or doctoral degree in the
United States.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 27
CHAPTER 3: METHODS
This chapter begins with a restatement of the problem, purpose, and research questions.
The methodological design is described, as well as the participants, the data collection methods,
data analysis methods, and considerations of ethics.
Restatement of the Problem
With the low percentage of U.S. postsecondary students in consideration, it is important
to understand emerging patterns among parenting style during a student’s upbringing,
socioeconomic status, parents’ education levels, perceptions of personal relationships, and
emotional experiences as a whole in relation to educational goals for pursuing and completing a
master’s or doctoral degree. The limited research on motivation for postsecondary achievement
leaves room for further exploration.
Are students motivated by the achievement of an advanced degree or do they desire to
use the degree to become leaders for public or personal recognition? Are past experiences pivotal
in the decision to pursue a graduate degree? The lack of a rich database on these questions
indicates a lack of understanding about how to encourage and support students of all
backgrounds and experiences. A study with this focus can inform educational and health services
personnel, such as student support staff and university mental health professionals.
Purpose of the Study
This study explored current and previous master’s and doctoral students’ backgrounds
and motivations for completing a graduate degree in the United States. By understanding the
motivations behind continuing education and future educational policy, support staff at the
university level, and future admissions processes can apply a new perspective on the influences
that bring students to the master’s and doctoral arena. This study offers a unique outlet for
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 28
graduate students to reflect on their choices and experiences, which can, in turn, produce a
stronger and more introspective leader.
Academic and personal support strategies for students may benefit from this study’s
results. What is learned about a candidate’s experiences can be taken into consideration to
encourage pursuit and achievement of a graduate degree. The motivation of students to apply,
attend, and persist in graduate school may offer valuable insight into the support that is offered to
students at the university level. The data from this study will add to the knowledge base for the
motivational psychology community, academic support services, and admissions services.
Goal orientation theory served as the framework for the study as a means to analyze the
components of motivation that have the potential to play a part in graduate students’ decision
making. The two components of goal orientation theory focus on either mastery goals or
performance goals, the driving forces behind the motivation for completing a task. These tasks
can be minute and simple or large and life changing. However, there is most often a reason
behind completion, whether for the public recognition of success with performance or the
intrinsic achievement in achieving a highly prioritized objective. This theory’s lens assisted in
understanding the origin of graduate students’ motivation and the ways in which they can be
supported throughout their academic careers and beyond. The theory was applied particularly in
the analysis of the collected data as a means of identify the source of motivation.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided this study:
1. What key elements influence a student’s motivation to attend graduate school?
2. What is the relationship between past family academic achievement and educational
attainment?
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 29
3. What strategies do successful graduate students use in continuing their education?
4. To what degree are students oriented to mastery or performance goals when pursuing
postgraduate work?
Design Summary
This study applied a mixed-methods design, combining qualitative and quantitative
methods of data collection (Creswell, 2014). Each was essential to this study and to research as a
whole because of its orientation in the field and the information or data that it can produce to
describe a phenomenon or the relationships between events and phenomena (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). This design is based on the researcher’s open-ended ideas on the topic. What one may
believe is the likely motivation behind educational attainment may be quite the opposite, and the
most beneficial and holistic method to use for exploring it is mixed-methods research. Both
methods can be used to address the research questions.
Entering into a study with predisposed solutions or explanations is difficult to avoid but,
through interviews and gaining new perspectives, the researcher may be able to expand the
knowledge base to other parts of the unknown. Qualitative researchers are interested in
understanding how people might interpret their experiences and what meaning they are
constructing based on their personal experiences (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Therefore, this
study was focused more on qualitative research methods through interviews than on quantitative
research methods. However, quantitative data were also necessary for this study since the sample
size for interviews was small and selective in that participants came from the same geographical
area and had the potential to have similar experiences. Quantitative data via a survey provides a
numeric description of trends in a population and can be easily generalizable (Creswell, 2014).
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 30
Interviews were appropriate for this study to learn things that could not be observed; they
also created an opportunity to enter another person’s perspective (Patton, 2002). As Merriam and
Tisdell (2016) stated, a research interview is a conversation that has both structure and purpose.
This study was based chiefly on introspection and recognizing goals or motivations toward
success, both academically and professionally. Interviews were the most useful way to collect
this type of data since it is specific to each person’s upbringing, environmental qualities, and
other components of their lives as driving forces or motivators for action. Collecting data using
this method led to understanding of the problem from the participants’ perspectives (Corbin &
Strauss, 2008). Surveys were important to this study so findings could be widely distributed
without geographical restrictions and limitations.
Combining interview and survey data was useful for this study because singular methods
could miss the emotional connections or current strategies that the participants used or have used
in the past. Mixed-methods studies supply both open- and closed-ended questions with multiple
forms of data in an attempt to uncover all possibilities (Creswell, 2014). Using multiple methods
of data collection helps to gain a greater depth of understanding instead of breadth or
confirmation of the results of one independent method (Maxwell, 2013).
Participants
The interview respondents were selected based on their experience in educational
settings, whether they currently attended or had previously completed a master’s or doctoral
degree, as that experience correlates directly with the criteria based on the research questions.
Five interviews were conducted and a survey was distributed online to ensure anonymity and to
reach qualifying participants across the country. Each interview participant selected pseudonym.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 31
Instrumentation and Protocols
Protocols are lists of questions or topics to be discussed in an interview or to be looked
for in an observation. The role of this conceptual framework is to give direction (Patton, 2002)
and provide a means of staying on track or planning the research prior to observing or
interviewing. The research questions aligned with the study’s conceptual framework through the
means of retrospective thought and reflection on past experiences or connections with academic
or professional goals. With a semistructured design, the interview protocol (Appendix A)
contained open-ended questions that were posed flexibly, usually including specific data required
from all participants. The largest part of the interview was guided by ideas that would be
explored further (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Consent was obtained verbally from each participant. After obtaining consent and access,
there was no need to follow up with other gatekeepers. Gatekeepers are important components of
a study and, without their approval, it is nearly impossible to conduct the data in a morally
appropriate way and to the depth that is needed for a quality study. These contacts can facilitate
or interfere with a study (Maxwell, 2013). The convenient and purposeful sample of participants
in this study bypassed this process.
Prior to beginning each interview, the researcher explained the purpose of the study, what
would be explored, how the information would be shared or utilized, and who would have access
to responses. Participants were informed that the conversation would recorded, provided that
they gave specific consent for that process. Following the conversation about the study and
details on the procedure, interviewees gave verbal consent to continue. The survey was
distributed online through the Qualtrics™ system.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 32
Data Collection Protocols and Analysis
All interviews were conducted in quiet, private rooms with very little background noise
to distract the participants. Loud settings such as coffee shops or restaurants can present
distractions and limit the openness of participants. It was also important to hear all responses in
terms of the participants’ backgrounds and their feelings about their academic achievements.
Each interview lasted about an hour, with the opportunity to go beyond that allotted time
if the participant was willing to share more than expected. The interviews were recorded with a
digital audio recorder. Following immediately after each interview, the responses were
transcribed and entered into a computer file and codebook. Patterns in the findings were grouped
to represent commonalities and positive or negative evidence.
The challenge in this mixed-methods study was how to converge the data, as these two
methods were conducted separately and that data were then merged (Creswell, 2014). With these
two types of data collection comes the task of bringing them together after seeking
commonalities and unexpected responses and bridging gaps or connecting the survey data with
the interview responses.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 33
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
This chapter presents an analysis of data from the study that aimed at exploring the
potential relationship between experiences and the motivation to achieve high educational and
professional attainment in past and present graduate students in the United States. The purpose of
this study was to explore current and previous master’s and doctoral students’ backgrounds and
motivations for attending and completing a graduate degree. Each of the research questions was
addressed with findings that correlated and patterns that emerged from the data.
This study utilized mixed-methods data collection techniques to obtain open-ended and
in-depth responses that comprised data that can be generalizable across people with a variety of
backgrounds. The quantitative data were collected via a survey distributed through Qualtrics;
qualitative data were collected through in-person interviews. The survey was distributed to 50
past and present graduate students across the United States. The distribution was maximized by
using email and social media platforms and capped after 50 completed surveys, achieving 100%
of the intended number of responses required.
No identifiable information was collected from participants; each was made aware of this
policy prior to completion of the survey via a presurvey notice indicating that the information
that they supplied would be unidentifiable and unable to be traced back to their computers.
Specific information regarding the demographics of the participants of the survey and the
interviews is discussed in the next section of this chapter.
Participant Demographics
Interviews
The participants of the five interviews were three females and two males. This pool of
participants was collected as a purposeful and convenient sample of colleagues and individuals
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 34
in the researcher’s immediate social circle. Each participant chose a pseudonym to be used in this
report both for coding purposes and for relevant quotes used in the report of the results. Thus,
participants were named Ashley, Elizabeth, Jake, Meredith, and Jose. Four interview participants
lived in the Los Angeles area and the fifth resided in the Boston area. Three were in the process
of completing a master’s degree, one had completed a master’s degree, and one was in the
process of completing a doctorate.
Surveys
Qualtrics was used to collect survey data. The only demographic information collected
regarded gender and the level of education earned at the time of the survey. All 50 survey
participants were informed that their responses would be used in the study but that identifying
data would not be available to the researcher or used in reporting the results. All participants
supplied responses for both questions; 74% were female and 26% were male, 24% were
currently working on a bachelor’ degree, 66% had completed a master’s degree, and 10% had
completed a doctorate.
Focus of the Study
The focus of this study was on past and current graduate degree students in the United
States and their motivation for pursuing, attending, and completing higher educational goals.
Each participant fit this requirement and offered insights toward a deeper understanding of the
ways in which current and future graduate students can be supported in achieving their goals, as
well as the possible connection between previous life experiences and postsecondary academic
achievement. Direct quotes are supplied throughout this chapter, and additional quotes are
included in Appendix B.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 35
Report of Findings
The quantitative data collected included a broad range of responses and offered
generalizable insight on topics related to career or academic satisfaction, support during pivotal
moments in degree completion, motivation in terms of achievement, and information about
family, social circles, or home culture that may or may not have contributed to goal attainment.
The majority of the survey participants had completed a master’s degree (66%), with 24%
reported that they were currently working on a master’s degree, leaving the final 10% as
completed or currently completing a doctoral degree. Two thirds (66%) of the respondents
reported that their current jobs correlated with their earned degrees, 16% stated that their jobs did
not correlate with their earned degrees, and 18% stated that their jobs correlated to some degree
with their previous academic achievements.
The qualitative data collected provided an in-depth description of the participants, their
past experiences, their current goals, the strategies that they use in times of frustration, and how
they overcome academic, personal, and professional hardships. A secondary outcome of this
study was that many of the interview participants mentioned the usefulness of purposely
reflecting on their past and on their future goals to become a more metacognitive and self-
reflective leader. Parents were reported to have had a stronger effect on these students than
siblings, as participants rarely cited sibling rivalry or pressure from sibling successes as a
motivation to achieve higher goals. Still, Jake said, “Even though they didn’t go to school, I see
how their lives have educated them in ways that I never will be. We all bring something to the
table.”
Job satisfaction or appropriate steps toward the survey participants’ goals were recorded
as relatively high, with the majority stating that they were happy in their jobs (74%) or were
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 36
working toward further achievements (55%) through promotion or a career change. When asked
about their dream careers, 78% of the participants shared that they were currently on track and in
the field of their “dream job.” The interview participants who had earned a master’s degree did
not express the need to continue their education, and gender did not play a role in this
conclusion.
Support was a focus of the study. The survey asked whether respondents had received
needed assistance and whether that support had influenced their goals. Most participants (78%)
shared that they had felt supported prior to their college years, with a slight increase in that
sentiment for undergraduate years (82%). Not all interview participants shared that their parents
were particularly supportive; two of the five said that their parents were “hands off” and let them
fail or succeed on their own and learn from their own mistakes. These two interview participants
discussed the value of professors or teachers in high school and their encouragement to attain
higher goals because the participants were deemed to be capable of that and more.
When asked about motivation through analyzing the hardships of others, the majority of
participants (66%) shared that they knew someone who had experienced a hardship that
negatively affected their own motivation to succeed. In response to the following question, 22%
reported that someone in their lives with a hardship had positively affected their motivation and
goal achievement.
Elizabeth talked about her father’s educational experiences and the lack of his follow
through, which had motivated her to achieve more than her initial personal expectations. Ashley
cited fear of failure as her main drive for achievement, saying that she is constantly trying to
prove herself. She repeatedly cited her need to feel capable of succeeding. Jake’s father and
mother were a driving force for him, as both of his parents had had bad marriages and had made
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 37
mistakes as teenagers; he moved forward with his goals with these reflections in mind. Finances
and lack of education, presented fewer career options, was another hardship or motivation for
powering through a hardship or avoiding a future hardship.
The product of this motivation would be to help or hinder abilities or aspirations to
achieve goals or consider challenging options for themselves, with the possibility of straying
from goals for fear of being in the same situation as the negatively affected person or persons.
The participants were asked whether they had personally experienced hardships in their lives that
had negatively affected their ability to learn or pursue their goals. The results were almost
equally split, with 54% sharing that they had had such experiences.
Culture and religion in the home were explored in this study. The results of both the
quantitative and qualitative data leaned toward having little to no effect on goals or achievement,
more so in the qualitative responses. Culture was interpreted in various ways in the interviews,
from religion to the specific family characteristics in earlier life, which lead to the conclusion
that it was also up for personal interpretation during survey completion. Only two interview
participants directly stated that religion had played a large role in their academic choices. In the
survey responses, 42% said that their family’s religion or culture had influenced their educational
and/or professional goals at any point in their lives.
The heavily qualitative nature of this study limits generalizability to a population but they
offers an idea of where a larger sample of the community falls in the topic of motivation and
educational or career-based goal achievement. For further information about the specific data
that was collected, the complete survey response percentages are reported in Appendix C.
The reviewed literature suggested that White Americans are more likely to attribute their
successes and failures internally and African Americans prefer to attribute their success to luck
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 38
and the difficulty of the task (Schunk et al., 2014). Jose, a White American male student,
discussed his state of mind while deciding what his next step should be. He shared that he was in
a mental state of uncertainty regarding himself and a lack of direction but found guidance and
validation from his professors regarding his ability to succeed:
Some of my professors asked if I considered moving on to a four year degree. I had no
plan, no idea what that meant, and a lot of it was their suggestion. . . . I knew they had
faith in me and confidence in my ability. (Jose)
Since the diversity of the participants in the qualitative portion of the study was limited, it
would be beneficial to explore this research in further studies of students from a variety of
backgrounds and cultures. The study by Liu and Xie (2014) on culture in the Asian American
community offered insight into associations with the “model minority” and how this affects
academic success and goals. With the same idea of broadening the diversity of the participants in
mind, it would have been ideal to have an Asian American as an interview participant or to add a
section in which participants could supply more specific background information to reflect on
how it could relate to the study.
Research Question 1
Research Question 1 asked, What are the key elements that influence a student’s
motivation to attend graduate school? The key elements that influence a student’s motivation to
attend graduate school were heavily rooted in past family regrets, childhood expectations that
parents had even after the student’s completion of a bachelor’s degree, and the influences of
supportive individuals in the student’s life that could help them to achieve their goals. The effect
of community (parks, libraries, community centers) and socioeconomic status were not strong in
the results, except for avoidance of visible poverty in their surroundings (see discussion of the
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 39
theory of relative deprivation [Bradley & Corwyn, 2002] in Chapter 2). The avoidance of failure
in comparison to what Jake’s community looked like was motivation for him to move forward
and set goals for his future. “I wanted to avoid the community no matter what. There was an
overwhelming sense of stagnation and poverty and I didn’t want to end up like any of them”
(Jake).
Religion, if present, was a slight initial influence in the pursuit of academic goals, with
the exception of one participant, who grew up in a religious household that he felt held him back
until later on, when he moved to a different area of the country and attended schools that were
not faith based.
As cited in Chapter 2, Chiao et al. (2013) discussed their knowledge of cultural variation
and how the reasoning that students consider later in their lives can directly affect their decisions.
The expectations that family held for these students carried through in a few of the interview
participants in terms of religion, influencing why they did or did not decide to follow their
childhood’s accepted culture or belief system as adults in professional settings.
My mom went to Catholic school and raised my oldest siblings Catholic, but when I
came around they asked if I’d go and I said no. I wanted to worship God in my own way.
She let me. (Jake)
Religion and traditions that I grew up in were keeping me inside of a box and I knew I
had to get out. It drove me to explore more than it might not have if it hadn’t been a
strong part of my upbringing. (Jose)
Research Question 2
Research Question 2 asked, What is the relationship between past family academic
achievement and educational attainment? In terms of past family academic achievement and
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 40
their educational attainment goals, most interview participants shared that they were the highest-
achieving member of their immediate family. However, they shared that they had felt inspired by
their parents’ previous shortcomings or choices in not pursuing further education or the personal
goals that they had for themselves. While expectations were high, they were not typically rooted
in negative pressure to continue with an education. The expectations and pressure came primarily
from the students themselves. Responses by females were slightly different in this category, as
they verbally reflected more on their mother’s successes and failures as a motivation for their
goals, both academically and professionally.
Research by Bradley and Corwyn (2002) on socioeconomic statuses within families and
their level of parental engagement was reviewed in Chapter 2. While it would have been ideal to
have participants from greatly varying socioeconomic statuses, this was not the reality of the
collected data. The interview participants had been in middle to high socioeconomic status as
children; therefore, it was not possible to establish a baseline of a low socioeconomic status
student and the family’s level of parental engagement. This research may have supported claims
by Bradley and Corwyn (2002) that students from low socioeconomic level families are less
likely to buy books or utilize community buildings; however, it was not possible to collect data
to support this idea.
The representation of a student from a low socioeconomic status as a child might have
been helpful in terms of supporting the cited literature. The family stress model, explored by
Barajas et al. (2007), was included in the effect of poverty level or high financial strain on
childhood and future student attainment, both professionally and academically. Persistent levels
of poverty create higher levels of depression and anxiety, thus creating a negative association
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 41
with less-than-ideal parenting strategies. This information was not addressed in this study due to
the lack of representation of this participant group.
When participants were asked in the survey whether parents or guardians had held high
standards for the participants, 94% responded affirmatively, 62% shared that their family
members had shared their own personal goals academically, and 76% reported that family
members had shared their own personal goals within their professions. With family carrying so
much influence, 66% responded that their family’s goals had affected their own aspirations,
academically and professionally.
As Barajas et al. (2007) and Bradley and Corwyn (2002) reported, when parents use
positive parenting strategies, their children are directly influenced by higher self-esteem levels
and greater achievement. This was present in the current study, with specific examples recorded
during participant interviews. In the survey responses, 66% reported that their family’s goals had
influenced their own personal goals:
I think they just expected me to do my best and do things that will make them proud, that
won’t bring shame to my family. Their expectations are lower than the expectations I
have for myself. (Ashley)
I was a motivated student to begin with, so they never really pushed me too much. They
were disappointed when I didn’t do well, but didn’t get too involved unless something
bad happened. (Elizabeth)
They were always telling me I have to go to school and I grew up thinking school was
this key to success. . . . My dad used to tell me all the time that they only thing people
couldn’t take away from you is your education. (Jake)
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 42
While Bradley and Corwyn (2002) offered insight into correlations between low parental
education and IQ or achievement later in their children’s lives, this was not the case in this study.
Meredith, in particular, stated that her parents had not gone to college but she chose to earn a
bachelor’s degree and subsequently a master’s degree. She was supported by her parents in any
route she chose, whether or not that meant going to college. Her motivation to achieve and her
grades did not suffer simply because her parents had not followed the same path:
It wasn’t a given that I was going to go to undergrad. My parents were the first in either
family to get a college degree, so my father offered money and a car in exchange for not
going. They value their degrees and education, so they preferred that path but understood
that there are other ways to succeed that don’t require a degree. (Meredith)
Bradley and Corwyn (2002) reported results of their research on parental IQ level and
personal achievement by stating that, while a parent may not have a degree, if the parent works
in a career with many tasks and opportunities for problem solving, that can influence their
parenting skills and strategies in a positive way. Meredith’s mother had not earned a degree but
worked up the ladder in her own field and had a career as a chief editor for a magazine. Meredith
credited her mother with persevering and starting out at a low level editor but eventually
achieving success.
Research Question 3
Research Question 3 asked, What strategies do successful graduate students use in
continuing their education? The strategies that the study participants cited as helpful for them
both before and during graduate studies were traits that they had learned on their own due to
necessity or through being self-driven and independent as they grew as successful students. “I
had to figure out strategies on my own . . . breathe and take one step at a time. My habit is
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 43
looking forward and overwhelming myself” (Jake). Other participants credited their professors
and academic role models for teaching or demonstrating strategies for overcoming stress and
hardships. The cited people who had shown a genuine interest in their success. “I don’t want to
let them down. . . . Without them I wouldn’t be here today” (Jose).
The positive effect of others who invested in them was cited many times in the
interviews. The importance of structure, mentors, and a like-minded community was cited as a
motivation for continuing; utilizing those components of a graduate degree helped them to
overcome difficult scenarios. Each participants cited an academic role model who had influenced
success, as Bradley and Corwyn (2002) discussed through the concept of collective socialization.
The pairing of role models and independence through self-motivation and drive within a
structured program became the delicate balance that was apparent in a majority of the interviews.
I’ll always feel very grateful for my advisor at the end of my bachelor’s degree . . .
faculty support was nice because it was close knit and beneficial. (Elizabeth)
By the time high school came around, they recognized how at-risk inner city kids were
and pushed for options for you: colleges, trade schools, job placement. . . . They really
wanted you to have a plan after high school and didn’t want to leave you hanging. (Jake)
Research Question 4
Research Question 4 asked, To what degree are students oriented to mastery or
performance goals when pursuing postgraduate work? The results clearly showed that most
students were more mastery goal oriented when pursuing postgraduate work. However, this
holds only for the small sample that was available for this study. A majority of the interview
participants were in the educational field and typically did not expect a high-salaried career.
Further studies with participants from a variety of career tracks might offer alternative opinions
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 44
and goal orientations. Room to grow freely, innovate, and explore subjects of interest were high
motivators for the graduate students interviewed in this study. Approximately 84% of the survey
respondents wrote that happiness in a job is more important than annual salary. Some said that
they knew, even going into their graduate degrees, that money was not the main focus of their
goals:
I needed something that I wasn’t sure I could do, to prove to myself that I’m capable.
(Ashley)
It’s just the internal motivation of being good and wanting to do a good job. That’s
probably the main drive. (Elizabeth)
Before I went to grad school, I decided I wanted to learn. I’ve always just liked learning
and the structure of school. (Jake)
There’s a societal message that community college is for “dumb kids” and creates a self-
confidence problem. . . . I want to make sure that the students in my community college
and professors know that what they’re studying isn’t some subrate material. It’s material
that leads to another step, and if you take advantage of that step, you can go far. (Jose)
When asked whether graduate school was worth the high cost of tuition or looming
student debt, most shared that they would advise a person to make the decision based on goals
and reflect on whether it truly aligns with them. This seems to correlate with the beliefs that one
should pursue attainment according to one’s inner drive to succeed while keeping one’s best
interests in mind and overcoming hardship for the greater good of earning further graduate
degrees and achieving intrinsic success. As one participant stated,
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 45
Money can’t be the only reason you say no. Make your dreams come true, because bills
can get paid somehow but dreams can’t come true without you. Find a degree that is
reasonably priced and will give you what you want.
Utilizing resources and embracing the flexibility of achieving more was a theme
throughout most of the interviews. The participants showed that they were primarily mastery
oriented, or task driven, with performance recognition as a secondary priority to internal feelings
of success in learning and mastering the skills about which they were most passionate. The only
avoidant goal orientations, as discussed in Chapter 2, were in terms of being motivated to
achieve more than the participants had witnessed in their communities.
This study show that motivation and internal drive in graduate students was prominent.
The influence, both positive and negative, of others close to the participants became clear in both
the survey and the interviews. While it was important, being self-driven seemed to play a less
crucial role in the motivation of a graduate student than the effect that close family members,
friends, or others in the community had on that student’s successes or shortcomings. There were
no patterns in the responses of students who had completed their graduate degrees versus those
who had not yet done so, which might suggest that it would be difficult to predict a student’s
direction and whether he or she will follow through with goal attainment strategies.
There was evidence that one’s social circle might have an effect on achievement goals,
with 64% of participants stated that their friends generally had the same motivation level and
similar aspirations as the participants. Taking initiative and having a strong sense of
introspection in terms of familial choices in the past, as well as future career goals, arose often
during the interviews. Being able to delegate seemed to be a helpful strategy not only for the
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 46
leader of the group but also for the other participants, as they were able to centralize their work
and reduce cognitive overload when facing a time-intensive large task.
I felt very discouraged every time I got rejected from a school. Even if I wasn’t
particularly interested in that school, it broke me that a school didn’t want me there.
(Ashley)
I was so young, I didn’t know anything. Everyone was telling me things like, “You can’t
do anything with English” but I loved reading. (Jake)
Unknowingly, I had good self-regulation skills. I wasn’t taught them, but if I wanted
something in life, it was up to me to get it. It forced me to be resourceful. (Jose)
I pull experiences from friends and family when I’m writing as inspiration, and their
challenges and hardships are motivating because I want to learn from them, to use them
in my writing, or something to talk about. Your art is meant to share with others and if
you feel like people are going to connect on the experiences of those you love that have
touched you, you may become a better artist. You’re communicating those to others.
(Meredith)
Retrospective thought and reflecting on the past offered opportunities for growth for
participants, but the issue of time between the interview and the experience in question raises
concern because memories can change form as history takes effect. About 54% of the survey
respondents said that they did not have any significant regrets about their past academically, and
66% said that they did not have any significant regrets about their past professionally. However,
close to half could have implied that they would have done certain things differently. This
connects with research by Immordino-Yang (2011) and Linnenbrink-Garcia and Pekrun (2011)
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 47
on the importance of considering emotions in education, knowing that past learning and
emotional evaluation can be deciding factors in the decision to further one’s education.
Survey participants were given a scenario:
A friend comes to you, looking for advice about applying to the graduate program of their
dreams. It’s not cheap, of course, so they have convinced themselves that it is not worth
the financial strain. Would you encourage them to pursue it even though it will accrue
student loan debt?
In response 80% said that they would still encourage the friend. This correlates with the
interview responses, which added that the friend should seek the appropriate program for his or
her needs and what the future might look like professionally. If the program does not yield the
chosen goal or the friend might not be able to pay back loans in a timely manner, financial aid
might be a resource.
I would say that there’s a program out there that you can eventually pay for. Make your
dreams come true. . . You have to be smart about it, but find a degree that is reasonably
priced and will give you what you want.”
Creating more opportunities or outlets for support of students in considering their pursuits
in higher education or greater achievement goals at the high school and bachelor’s degree level
offers a better foundation for success for both the present and future. The evidence, while mostly
limited to certain fields, shows that most participants were internally driven and motivated to be
good role models for younger generations. They desired to achieve an education beyond that of
their family members and/or they hoped to open new opportunities for others that they
themselves had not had.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 48
These findings can be applied in a variety of settings. Within the scope of high school
and university-level support, the data could be seen as an important key to giving students a clear
academic path and offering more opportunities to learn about the benefits of attending graduate
school. Mental health and student support services should become stronger and more prevalent in
the United States. The apparent stigma that accompanies the action of seeing a therapist or an
advisor when feeling overwhelmed and stressed seems never ending.
Therapists and student mental health services personnel are available on many school
campuses but these resources are grossly underutilized. A richer, more generalizable database on
how to support students through new perspectives and fresh leaders in every community is
needed. There is a possibility of more motivation to strengthen efforts to abolish this mindset and
create support staff whom students do not hesitate to seek when necessary. Investing in students
can produce a positive and inspirational group of leaders in the educational field and beyond.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 49
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION
With the low percentage of U.S. postsecondary students in consideration, it is important
to understand emerging patterns between parenting style during a student’s upbringing,
socioeconomic status, parents’ education levels, self-perceptions of personal relationships, and
emotional experiences as a whole in relation to educational goals for pursuing and completing a
master’s or doctoral degree. The limited research available on the motivation for postsecondary
achievement leaves room for further exploration. The lack of a rich database indicates a lack of
understanding about how to encourage and support students of all backgrounds and experiences.
A study with this focus can inform a variety of educational and health services personnel, such as
student support staff and mental health professionals at the university level.
This study explored current and previous master’s and doctoral students’ backgrounds
and motivations for attending and completing a graduate degree. By understanding the
motivations behind continuing education, future educational policy, support staff at the
university level and future admissions processes can have a new perspective on the influences
that bring students to the master’s and doctoral arenas. This study offered a unique outlet for
graduate students to reflect on their choices and experiences, which can, in turn, produce a
stronger and more introspective leader.
Academic and personal support strategies for students may benefit from this study’s
results. A candidate’s experiences can be taken into consideration to encourage pursuit and
achievement of a graduate degree. The motivation of students to apply, attend, and persist in
graduate school may offer valuable insight into the support that is offered to students at the
university level. The data that emerged from this study adds to the knowledge base for the
motivational psychology community, academic support services, and admissions services.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 50
Goal orientation theory served as the framework for the study, as a means to analyze the
components of motivation that have the potential to play a part in graduate students’ decision
making. The two components of goal orientation theory focus on either mastery goals or
performance goals, the driving forces behind the motivation for completing a task. These tasks
can be minute and simple or large and life changing. However, there is most often a reason
behind the completion, whether for public recognition of success with their performance or the
intrinsic achievement in mastering a highly prioritized objective. This theory’s lens assisted in
understanding the origin of graduate students’ motivation and the ways in which they can be
supported throughout their academic careers and beyond. The theory was applied in the analysis
of the collected data as a means of identifying the sources of motivation.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided this study:
1. What are the key elements that influence a student’s motivation to attend graduate
school?
2. What is the relationship between past family academic achievement and educational
attainment?
3. What strategies do successful graduate students use in continuing their education?
4. To what degree are students oriented to mastery or performance goals when pursuing
postgraduate work?
Summary of Findings
The findings of this study were based on the collected and analyzed data. This section
offers an interpretation of the results, both quantitative and qualitative, linking to the literature
reviewed in Chapter 2. The bulk of this study, while not as generalizable as quantitative data,
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 51
was from individual interviews; therefore, the literature review reflection in this section focuses
on interview quotes and insights from participants.
Upbringing and Familial Influence on Achievement
Cultural and Relational Expectations
Culture was a component of the study that was more subject to interpretation by the
participants than was intended. This topic was discussed frequently, in terms of religion or
family-specific traditions. While this offered a wide variety of individualized insight, it did not
yield the slightly more generalizable data that were sought. It was intended that the current study
would offer more data than did the study by Liu and Xie (2014) on common Asian American
culture and expectations for success. Unfortunately, the collected did not realized this intention.
Interviews containing family-specific culture interpretations often organically turned to
the expectations that family members had for the participants. Ashley spoke of her grandfather’s
negative influence, sharing that he expected her to choose an educational track that he felt was
best for her financially instead of what she was most interested in studying. Jose mentioned his
family’s disapproval of attending a nonreligious, “Yankee” university in the northeast after being
raised in a religious household in Virginia. However, the overall experience that the interview
participants shared was that their parents held high but reasonable and attainable expectations.
Family Dynamics
While it was not necessary, parental support or positive encouragement was helpful for
the study participants. The strongest result that emerged from discussion of parent influence was
in terms of parent regret. Many interview participants shared that, since their parents had not or
could not have achieved their own goals for any given reason, the participants wanted to go
farther and seize academic or professional opportunities as they arose.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 52
The urge to compete with siblings was not present in the data. This component of the
study was not included in the survey. When interview participants were asked about the
influence of siblings on their achievement and goals, responses were light positive or neutral:
“We each had something different to offer” or “They didn’t affect my goals at all.”
Educational Achievement and Influence
Peers with similar goals were often cited as a benefit to education and academic success,
as they utilized the same strategies and were seen as a positive support system. Interview
participants did not report negative peer influence toward goals. The participants looked for
support from professors and advisors and cited them as a large influence on their goals and
motivation, as the students did not want to disappoint them or saw that these academic role
models believed in them, often more so than they believed in themselves. Women reported
responses such as these in the interviews more often than men, as men typically did not offer any
insight into peer influence on their goals or achievement levels.
Socioeconomic Status and Achievement
Nutrition and Cognitive Development
The literature review cited nutrition and its potential effect on success through lack of
proper diet. While none of the data in this study yielded information on diet and proper food
intake, there are routes that researchers can take to gain insight on this topic. A correlational
study or case study on a few students at any age during an academic program could offer insight
into nutrition’s role in success by analyzing diets and performance and attainment with a pre/post
test.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 53
Socioeconomic Status and Culture
Socioeconomic status was relatively uniform for interview participants: either middle- or
high-socioeconomic status. This study could have had more potential for useful results by using
a larger sample of participants with greater diversity in socioeconomic status. This could also
include a greater variety of cultural backgrounds or religious standpoints related to success and
achievement.
Community Access and Local Outlets for Support
Most interview participants offered insight into their community’s parks, libraries, and
extracurricular activities, but few reported that they had participated in them. While it has been
positive that children gain leadership skills and seek enrichment outside of school, this
experience was not reported by study participants.
Academic Support and Potential Success
Opportunities for Support in School
Interview participants spoke often of the support and motivation received from professors
and teachers in high school and in their undergraduate experiences. Such support has the
potential to help students through negative experiences or struggles that can hinder learning.
Emotion in terms of achievement, much as in the Immordino-Yang (2011) study reviewed in
Chapter 2, was a goal of the study. However, most participants said that they were generally
happy in pregraduate school programs and negative emotion rarely played a role in achievement,
with the exception of some feedback from interview participants. These participants had
experienced extended negative emotions about their achievement when they did not perform as
well as they had hoped or expected but they did not feel that it had influenced their long-term
goal setting and achievement.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 54
Academic Role Models and Influence on Achievement
Reflecting on the previous section, academic role models were a prominent component of
the study and yielded information equal to that of data collected on parental influence and
motivations. As discussed in Chapter 2, role models can motivate students to achieve and can
help them to avoid self-stereotyping in fields that are not equal in gender representation, such as
STEM fields (Herrmann et al., 2016). Interview participants, both males and females, often
credited professors and teachers for their current success. This was either in terms of watching
the models’ personal successes and wanting to achieve the same level of attainment or in hearing
feedback that helped the participants to gain the motivation and courage to pursue a higher
degree and/or more desired career track.
Goal Orientation Theory and Motivation
In terms of goal orientation theory, it was clear that the study participants were relatively
self-driven and utilized strategies that they had discovered on their own. They viewed their
communities across a range of influence levels, from completely unrelated to their success to
avoidance of becoming like them, such as was the case for Jake, or, in goal orientation terms, the
performance-avoidance approach similar to the discussion by Bradley and Corwyn (2002) of the
theory of relative deprivation. Overall, socioeconomic status was unrelated, even though each of
the participants had come from a middle-class household and had utilized financial aid or side
jobs to fund an education. The participants shared that they were relatively undeterred by the cost
of education in comparison to the experience and the knowledge that they would gain or the
mastery approach of goal orientation.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 55
Implications for Practice and Possibilities for Field Growth
This study informs the practice of professionals in any field, since it is not career specific.
Analyzing students’ motivational goals and the foundation of their aspirations can be applied to
any individual at any age and level of education. This can also be used as a parenting tool, as
parents may be unsure of how to support their children in school or methods to suggest to their
children who are in need of strategies for success. The collected information and the methods
used for data collection can offer an approach for self-reflection and sharing of own personal
goals or creating an open dialogue with children, students, coworkers, and social peers.
While the reported findings can be applied to mental health services on campuses,
admissions personnel should ask questions based on the findings in this study. Applications for
admission offer little room for interpretation of poor grades or reasons for lack of extracurricular
involvement. This is not a holistic view of a potential student, as a person’s life should be based
on much more than just what is seen on paper and grade performance or scores on standardized
tests.
Another application for the field would be with regard to the level at which colleges and
universities integrate the concept or the possibility of graduate school into their offerings. This
personal reflection stemmed from an informal conversation with an advisor at a community
college in Massachusetts regarding this dissertation study. Jane shared that, prior to our
conversation, she had not reflect on where the students at her community college would be in 4
or 5 years. She shared that most of them were in unconventional career or life paths and unsure
of when they would complete the Associate or bachelor’s degrees. She reflected on the new
consideration of suggesting workshops or meetings about further education for students whom
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 56
she did not see often but knew would express interest or curiosity regarding options for the
future.
Using myself as an example, I told her that, when I was a student at her community
college, I was unsure of whether I would reach the bachelor’s level of education. I was certainly
intimidated at the time but driven to do my best and set high goals for myself. I concluded my
thought with, “Look at where I am now! Who’d have thought?” She agreed, and said that she is
certain that there were students at the community college who were just as unsure or unconfident
about their academic abilities. She noted a little push and insight into what they could achieve
could give them motivation to go further.
During the conversation, Jane expressed that it would be good to offer this suggestion at
the beginning of a student’s educational career. While at first she seemed apprehensive about the
introduction of graduate school possibilities at the community college level, she appeared to
warm to the idea after I shared personal insights gathered from the dissertation data. She noted
that many of the students with whom she meets are still trying to navigate the undergraduate
process. Rarely do students come to her if they know their goal; therefore, she said that does not
see the “types of students” that she perceived would be interested in thinking that far ahead
without becoming overwhelmed.
Jane reflected on the lack of introduction to the possibilities of further education outside
of the bachelor’s degree level at the community college campus. It was important to have had
this conversation with someone at the early college level because, no matter where people begin
the academic journey, they can accomplish whatever they aspire to do. This ties into the problem
of the lack of research on motivations for graduate school. As I reflected on this conversation, I
wondered whether students at the community college level or perhaps from a low socioeconomic
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 57
status area felt that they could achieve anything past an Associate or bachelor’s degree, whether
by their own self-assessment or the lack of introduction into the idea at all.
It is a big step for students in community college or for beginning undergraduates to
consider a master’s or doctoral degree, but the idea is not unrealistic. Jane expressed optimism
about introducing workshops and seminars, in her context and to the extent to which she is able,
on future career paths. She observed that it is never too early to begin that process, which may
produce a positive and optimistic result for even one or two students. Ultimately, if this and other
community colleges adopt the routine of introducing further education to their students, this may
add to future research or a broader range of participants in a similar study of motivation for
attending graduate school.
The factors that hinder students are unlimited, including a childhood in a bad
neighborhood or witnessing a violent act that affected sleep, nutrition, or participation in classes.
These events in life are out of the control of students. However, it is possible to support them and
to understand their perspectives based on qualitative interviews and freedom to let them explain
occurrences that they might not have been able to do otherwise. Supporting students who have
come out of poverty or tragedy by understanding their lives, not just their grade point average,
could produce the next great inventor, the next life-changing teacher, or the next groundbreaking
doctor. If these students are not given a chance to feel supported and able to work through their
struggles, the country, or even the world, may miss out on something wonderful.
Limitations of the Study
Limitations of this study were identified as primarily related to the participant pool. The
participants had already achieved most of their goals or had begun pursuit of them, perhaps
because of supportive upbringings. Socioeconomic status, at least with these interview
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 58
participants, was generally similar. This might have limited the amount of hardship that they had
endured or that their community had faced. In later studies, it might be helpful to talk to people
from more varying socioeconomic classes who have experienced limited support and/or past
hardships.
Some of the survey participants expressed difficulty in reporting the value of a graduate
degree in relation to its cost without the opportunity to elaborate, indicating that the question was
case specific, depending on the cost and the result of completing the degree. The survey
questions left room for individual interpretation, such as with the idea of culture, which was,
most likely, a design flaw that should be improved and given special attention in future studies.
Future Research
In terms of further research, it is important to consider the participants who were willing
and available for the current study. The findings can be helpful for a broad range of ages and
levels of education in further growth and direction of academic support. This study was
conducted in a short period of time with few participants within a relatively limited area of focus
(education) who reflected on their prior decisions to pursue an advanced degree. Expanding this
study to include other areas of academic attainment (e.g., law, medicine) with a larger sample
might yield more generalizable findings.
A longitudinal study that follows high school participants or early college undergraduates
could identify supports in the decision-making process to pursue advanced degrees or could
analyze helpful or hindering components of their lives. This could include a follow-up to record
changes in goals or aspirations, as well as current specific strategies to continue education.
Acquiring strategies and suggestions from participants could open up more options and
possibilities that can be explored and offered to students during their time of need for
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 59
motivational support. This could also be applied internationally, with the culture component as a
focus of the study.
Dyer, Gregerson, and Christensen (2011) mentioned the value of talking and interacting
with people from diverse backgrounds with unique perspectives as a means of growing as a
professional and as a leader. Along those lines, another opportunity for further research is to
include participants with diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. As research has
shown in the literature review, socioeconomic status can affect a variety of components leading
to academic and professional success. Therefore, if information can be tailored to students’ needs
and previous experiences that may have damaged self-esteem or created limited options, students
from different backgrounds can have receive personalized and appropriate support.
Conclusion
This study offers extensive insight into the motivation of a student pursuing a graduate
degree in the United States, through the lens of personal goals and upbringing that supported
academic success. In retrospect, the study would have produced richer data if the survey results
had been traceable in order to follow those participants and identify patterns in their responses.
The results of this study can be applicable in any field and within any context, as it relates to
leadership skills through self-reflection by participants, in addition to the strategies that they used
to promote successful learning and resilience in times of stress or struggle. The supportive
outlets that they cited suggest strategies for practitioners and parents to consider for their
students and children.
Educational professionals or leaders can read the results of this study to see the
importance of role models and encouragement for any student or mentee of any socioeconomic
background and at any stage of education. One teacher, coach, friend, or colleague can make an
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 60
difference, just by listening and supporting someone who needs it for any reason, from great
tragedy to the frustration of feeling underrepresented or unheard. We can only grow from
supporting students and colleagues in their goals; there is no risk in creating a positive and
productive environment by continuous growth in leadership and support services for students
with aspirations and dreams.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 61
REFERENCES
Bae, D., & Wickrama, K. A. (2014). Family socioeconomic status and academic achievement
among Korean adolescents: Linking mechanisms of family processes and adolescents’
time use. Journal of Early Adolescence, 35, 1014-1038. doi:10.1177/0272431614549627
Barajas, R. G., Philipsen, N., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2007). Cognitive and emotional outcomes for
children in poverty. In D. R. Crane & T. B. Heaton (Eds.), Handbook of families &
poverty (pp. 311-333). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. doi:10.4135/9781412976596.n18
Bradley, R. H., & Corwyn, R. F. (2002). Socioeconomic status and child development. Annual
Review of Psychology, 53, 371-399. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135233
Bradley, R. H., Corwyn, R. F., Burchinal, M., McAdoo, H. P., & Coll, C. G. (2001). The home
environments of children in the United States, Part II: Relations with behavioral
development through age thirteen. Child Development, 72, 1868-1886.
Brands, B., Egan, B., Gyorei, E., Lopez-Robles, J., Gage, H., Campoy, C., Decsi, T., &
Koletzko, B. (2012). A qualitative interview study on effects of diet on children’s mental
state and performance” Evaluation of perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of parents in four
European countries. Appetite, 58, 739-746.
Bronfrenbrenner, U. (1994). Ecological models of human development. In P. Peterson, E. Baker,
& M. McGaw (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education (Vol. 3, 2nd ed., pp. 37-
43). Oxford, UK: Elsevier.
Chiao, J. Y, Cheon, B. K., Pornpattananangkul, N. Mrazek, A. J., & Blizinsky, K. D. (2013).
Cultural neuroscience: Progress and promise. Psychological Inquiry, 24, 1-19.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 62
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Strategies for qualitative data analysis. In J. Corbin & A.
Strauss (Eds.), Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing
grounded theory (3rd ed., pp. 65-86). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Darling, N., Caldwell, L., & Smith, R. (2005). Participation in school-based extracurricular
activities and adolescent adjustment. Journal of Leisure Research, 37(1), 51-76.
Dyer, J., Gregersen, H., & Christensen, C. (2011). Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the five skills of
disruptive innovators. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Herrmann, S. D., Adelman, R. M., Bodford, J. E., Graudejus, O., Okun, M. A., & Kwan, V. S.
(2016). The effects of a female role model on academic performance and persistence of
women in STEM courses. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 38, 258-268.
doi:10.1080/01973533.2016.1209757
Hoff, E. (2003). The specificity of environmental influence: Socioeconomic status affects early
vocabulary development via maternal speech. Child Development, 74, 1368-1378.
doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00612
Immordino-Yang. M. H. (2011). Implications of affective and social neuroscience for
educational theory. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 43(1), 98-103.
Jackson, A. P., Brooks-Gunn, J., Huang, C. C., & Glassman, M. (2000). Single mothers in low-
wage jobs: Financial strain, parenting, and preschoolers’ outcomes. Child Development,
71, 1409-1423.
Kaplan, A., & Maehr, M. L. (2007). The contributions and prospects of goal orientation theory.
Educational Psychology Review, 19(2), 141-184. doi:10.1007/s10648-006-9012-5
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 63
Lauff, E., & Ingels, S. J. (2014). Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002): A first look
at 2002 high school sophomores 10 years later (NCES 2014-363). Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
Linnenbrink-Garcia, L. &, Pekrun. R. (2011). Students’ emotions and academic engagement.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, 36, 1-3.
Liu, A., & Xie, Y. (2014). Culture and Asian-White achievement difference (PSC Research
Report 14-827). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of
America, 111, 8416-8421. doi:20.1073/pnas.1406402111
Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Los
Angeles, CA: Sage.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and
implementation (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2016). Educational attainment of young adults.
Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/coe_caa.pdf
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative Interviewing. In M. Q. Patton (Ed.), Qualitative research &
evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Schunk, D. H., Pintrich, P. R., & Meece, J. L. (2014). Motivation in education: Theory, research
and applications (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 64
APPENDIX A
INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
Introduction:
Welcome and thank you so much for participating in my study. I appreciate your time and your
willingness to be interviewed. This process should take about 1 hour; would this work for you and your
schedule?
Before we begin, I’d like to explain the overview of my study and leave time to answer any
questions that you would like to be answered regarding the interview, where your thoughts will be shared,
and your participation. I am conducting a study through the University of Southern California on the
motivation of students in the United States and the goals they aspire to achieve or have already done so. I
am conducting interviews as a component of my data collection and the structure that I have decided on
for my line of inquiry is regarding the topic of graduate students and their motivation to continue their
education past a Bachelor’s degree. I am particularly interested in understanding the influences that a
student has in their lives or within themselves which has driven them to pursue their Masters and/or
Doctorate degrees.
I want to assure you that I am strictly taking on the position of researcher today. This means that
the nature of my questions and observations is solely for the purpose of gaining insight on this topic. I
will not be making any judgments about your lifestyle, your personal experiences in the past, or any other
specific sensitive points that may come up during the course of the interview. I will be keeping the data
in a password-protected computer and I will destroy any data I collect at the conclusion of the study and
after submission, but the study may be published.
The data for this study will be analyzed and compiled into my dissertation, and while I do plan on
using some of your direct quotes, none of them will be directly attributed to you. I will give you the
opportunity to choose a pseudonym or I can choose one for you in order to protect your confidentiality. I
will try my best to de-identify any of the data I gather from you today.
If you are interested in seeing the final product, I am more than happy to provide you with a copy
once it is complete. If you have any questions about the study before we begin, now would be a good
time. If you do not, I would like to have your permission to begin the interview.

I’d like to start by asking you some background questions about you.
• First, could you tell me about your background in academics?
o What degrees do you currently hold?
o What graduate program are you enrolled in right now, if any?
• Are you or were you involved in any extracurricular activities outside of your classes?
o If yes, what types of activities were you involved in?
§ What was your role/participation?
o If no, why did you choose not to?
• Tell me about your siblings’ educational background.
o To what degree do you feel that you are “competitive” with them?
• Tell me about your parents’ educational background.
• What field do you currently work in?
o Does this correlate with the degrees that you have earned?
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 65
§ If so, how?
§ If not, why did you decide to go that route?

Heart of the Interview:
Now I’d like to ask you some questions about your past experiences as a young adult:
1. Tell me about the amount of support you received as a young adult in grade school.
a. What types of academic support did you receive at school?
i. If applicable, who provided this support?
b. What types of academic support did you receive at home?
i. If applicable, who provided this support?
c. Tell me a time when you experienced a hardship that made you discouraged to continue
with your education, if any?
i. Based on that/those hardships, can you recall a conversation or situation you’ve
had with one of these support bases that had a strong influence on your
motivation?
ii. If you did not receive the support you needed, how did that make you feel?
2. Tell me about your Bachelor’s degree program experiences.
a. What degree were you working towards?
b. What were some reasons you decided to attend?
c. If any, what extracurricular activities were you involved in?
i. What was your role in these activities?
d. What sort of academic support options were available to you during this time?
i. How did you utilize them, if at all?
3. Can you recall any individuals that stood out to you as being a support for you during this time?
a. If any, in what way did they help you?
b. If not, how might that have hindered your success in the program?
4. Can you recall any individuals that stood out to you as being a motivation for you during this
time?

I’d like to ask you some questions about your family and your upbringing.
5. What role, if any, does your family’s religion or culture play in your educational achievements?
a. Tell me about a conversation you had with a family member that was about school.
6. What role would you say that your community played in your academic success?
a. Did you have access to parks, libraries and/or communities centers?
i. How did you utilize these places, if at all?
7. What sort of careers have your family members been employed in?
8. Tell me about your family’s role in your decisions to pursue more education.
a. Can you think of any situations or conversations you’ve had with a family member that
you feel was helpful or supportive of your successes?
b. What are some things that they have done or said that you feel might not have been
supportive of your successes?
c. Tell me about your family’s expectations of you academically.
i. Do you feel that these expectations low, high, or somewhere in the middle?
9. In what ways have your family members shared with you their own personal goals academically?
a. How do you feel these goals have influenced your own in the past?
10. In what ways have your family members shared with you their own personal goals within their
careers?
a. How do you feel these goals have influenced your own in the past?
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 66
Now we’re going to address the goals you have as an adult.
11. Tell me about your dream career.
a. What are some ways that you have tried to reach that goal?
b. What are some things you feel have hindered the process of achieving that goal?
12. What role does annual salary play in your goals and academic priorities?
13. Think of a time when you felt frustrated while doing an academic task. What strategy did you use
to overcome this feeling of frustration?
a. Where did you learn these strategies?
b. How long have you been utilizing them?
14. Have you experienced any hardships in life that may have motivated you to be successful?
a. To the amount of which you are comfortable, could you share with me what components
of the situation motivated you academically or in your career?
15. Has someone close to you experienced any hardships in life that may have motivated you to be
successful?
a. To the amount of which you are comfortable, could you share with me what components
of the situation motivated you academically or in your career?
16. In your opinion, what do you feel is the most valuable part of achieving your academic and/or
career goals?
a. How did you come to that conclusion?
17. If you could go back and do anything in your academic career over again, what would that be?
18. Financing a graduate degree certainly isn’t an inexpensive undertaking. How might you respond
to someone who feels that pursuing a Masters or Doctorate degree isn’t worth it simply because
of the cost?

Closing Question:
Now that we’ve finished the interview, I wanted to leave one last opportunity for you to add anything that
you would like to add to our conversation that I might not have asked about. Can you think of anything
that might be valuable to the study that I did not address?
Conclusion:
Thank you so much for contributing your time and your thoughts to my study today! I appreciate
your participation so much. Everything that you have chosen to share with me is so helpful to me and to
my study. If, down the line, I find myself with a few follow-up questions, may I contact you? If so, is
email all right with you? I want to thank you again for your willingness to be so open with me.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 67
APPENDIX B
INTERVIEW DIRECT QUOTES
Efforts Away from Goals
There’s more opportunity for growth in my current job. . . . I haven’t actively tried to find a job
that is closer to my dream job, but I’m okay with that because there’s still an opportunity to go
that route in the future. ( Elizabeth)
I always see myself as lacking something. I see myself as not being good enough, not smart
enough, not brave enough to do something I want. (Jake)
My educational path and my work background provided amazing opportunities, but they don’t
transfer well to what I do, so it’s hard to find a job because I don’t fit one position. I have to rely
on financial aid because my traditional career path isn’t as obvious. (Jose)
I wondered for a while if I should be one of those rogue people that teaches themselves.
(Meredith )
Efforts Towards Goals
I’m coming into the decision to pursue this path later than most people, but having strengths and
experience in different arenas. (Ashley)
Having to push through a master’s program has helped me figure out what’s hard for me to do,
how to cope when things are hard . . . it helps me at work with figuring out problems. (Elizabeth)
Even though a degree is costly, it helps you become independent and secure. (Jake)
This current degree is more for the career or potential for bigger options. (Jose)
I wanted to continue studying and have more time for growth in a measured environment and
specialization. (Meredith)
External Family Influence
My nieces look up to me. (Jake)
My cousins are looking at schools outside of the United States, traveling and taking advantage of
certain educational opportunities that I provided or suggested for them. (Jose)
Extrinsic Motivation
I just wanted to make people proud, so, my family. They wouldn’t be overly motivational, but
the thought of making them proud motivated me. (Ashley)
I felt most drawn to the school with in-state tuition . . . and my job now, even though it’s not with
my degree, gives me the opportunity to pay down some student loans. (Elizabeth)
I didn’t want to be like the rest of my community in poverty. (Jake)
There’s an unspoken narrative that degrees equal money and better jobs. (Jose)
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 68
APPENDIX C
SURVEY QUESTIONS AND RESULTS
Q1 - What is your gender?

# Answer % Count
1 Female 74.00% 37
2 Male 26.00% 13
3 I prefer not to say 0.00% 0
Total 100% 50

Q2 - What is the highest degree you've earned?

# Answer % Count
1
Bachelors (I'm currently working
on my Masters)
24.00% 12
2 Masters 66.00% 33
3 Doctorate 10.00% 5
Total 100% 50

Q4 - Does the field you currently work in correlate with your earned degrees?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 66.00% 33
2 Somewhat 18.00% 9
3 No 16.00% 8
Total 100% 50

Q5 - Are you satisfied in your current job?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 74.00% 37
2 No 26.00% 13
Total 100% 50

Q6 - If you are not satisfied in your current job, are you taking the appropriate steps to
change that?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 55.56% 25
2 No 44.44% 20
Total 100% 45
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 69
Q7 - Is your current job on track to achieve your "dream career" goals?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 78.00% 39
2 No 22.00% 11
Total 100% 50

Q8 - Did you receive the support you needed in your school years prior to college?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 78.00% 39
2 No 22.00% 11
Total 100% 50

Q9 - Did you receive the support you needed during your undergraduate years?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 82.00% 41
2 No 18.00% 9
Total 100% 50

Q10 - Has anyone in your personal life experienced a hardship that *negatively* affected
your motivation to succeed?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 34.00% 17
2 No 66.00% 33
Total 100% 50

Q11 - Has anyone in your personal life experienced a hardship that *positively* affected
your motivation to succeed?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 78.00% 39
2 No 22.00% 11
Total 100% 50

Q12 - Have you personally experienced any hardships that affected your ability to learn?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 54.00% 27
2 No 46.00% 23
Total 100% 50
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 70
Q13 - Did your family's religion or culture influence your educational and/or professional
goals at any point?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 42.00% 21
2 No 58.00% 29
Total 100% 50

Q14 - Would you say that your parents/guardians have held high academic expectations of
you?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 94.00% 47
2 No 6.00% 3
Total 100% 50

Q15 - Have your family members shared with you their own personal goals academically?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 62.00% 31
2 No 38.00% 19
Total 100% 50

Q16 - Have your family members shared with you their own personal goals professionally?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 76.00% 38
2 No 24.00% 12
Total 100% 50

Q17 - Have your family members' goals affected your own aspirations and goals?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 66.00% 33
2 No 34.00% 17
Total 100% 50

Q19 - Would you say that your happiness in a job is more important than annual salary?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 84.00% 42
2 No 16.00% 8
Total 100% 50
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND MOTIVATION 71
Q20 - Do you have any significant regrets in your past academically?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 46.00% 23
2 No 54.00% 27
Total 100% 50

Q21 - Do you have any significant regrets in your past professionally?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 34.00% 17
2 No 66.00% 33
Total 100% 50

Q22 - Would you say that your social circle, in general, has similar achievement goals?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 64.00% 32
2 No 36.00% 18
Total 100% 50

Q23 - Scenario: A friend comes to you, looking for advice about applying to the graduate
program of their dreams. It's not cheap, of course, so they have convinced themselves that
it's not worth the financial strain. Would you encourage them to pursue it even though it
will accrue student loan debt?

# Answer % Count
1 Yes 80.00% 40
2 No 20.00% 10
Total 100% 50

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This study explores current and previous master’s and doctoral students’ backgrounds and motivations for completing a graduate degree in the United States, incorporating goal orientation theory into the findings. The purpose of the study was to understand the motivations for continuing education to contribute new insights into future educational policy, support staff at community colleges and universities, and enhance admissions processes for students who are considering the possibility of attending graduate school. Through interviews and online surveys, this study applied a mixed-methods design. The participants had completed a graduate degree or were currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program. The results showed that students at the graduate level utilized strategies for success either by their self-driven motivations or through support by academic role models, even more so than parents, who encouraged higher achievement. Parents were most often motivators in terms of their reflection on past failures and regret, which gave the participants a sense of higher value in postsecondary achievement. Goal orientation was present in participants who cited achievement as a priority to avoid failure or to master their respective fields through personal interest. This study begins to bridge the gap in research in motivational theory in terms of student achievement beyond an undergraduate degree and how academic professionals can support potential graduate school candidates.

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

Ready or not? Unprepared for community college mathematics: an exploration into the impact remedial mathematics has on preparation, persistence and educational goal attainment for first-time Cali...

PDF

A case study on readmitted students: the impact of social and academic involvement on degree completion

PDF

Superintendents' viewpoint of the role stakeholders can play in improving student achievement

PDF

Exploring the relationship between academic achievement and classroom behavior of Asian American elementary school students

PDF

Obstacles to and motivations for women pursuing and serving in academic leadership positions in STEM fields at California universities

PDF

The impact of parental involvement on student achievement

PDF

Effective STEM initiatives in high-poverty elementary schools

PDF

The relationship of model minority stereotype, Asian cultural values, and acculturation to goal orientation, academic self-efficacy, and academic achievement in Asian American college students

PDF

Leadership strategies employed by K-12 urban superintendents to improve the academic achievement of English language learners

PDF

Home and school factors and their influence on students' academic goal orientation and motivation

PDF

Student academic self‐efficacy, help seeking and goal orientation beliefs and behaviors in distance education and on-campus community college sociology courses

PDF

A comparative analysis of teacher evaluation systems utilized by public and charter schools in Southern California

PDF

Initiatives implemented by urban high school principals that increase and sustain achievement in algebra for African American students

PDF

A case study of promising leadership practices employed by principals of Knowledge Is Power Program Los Angeles (KIPP LA) charter school to improve student achievement

PDF

Parental involvement and student motivation: A quantitative study of the relationship between student goal orientation and student perceptions of parental involvement among 5th grade students

PDF

A quantitative analysis on student goal orientation and student perceptions of parental involvement among 6th grade middle school students

PDF

Comparative study of the networked principal vs. the isolated principal

PDF

Examining perspectives of academic autonomy in community college students: a quantitative study

PDF

Relationships between a community college student’s sense of belonging and student services engagement with completion of transfer gateway courses and persistence

PDF

Eliminating the technology equity gap for students through parent support at home: an evaluation study

Asset Metadata

Creator Tillman, Kelly Lyn (author)

Core Title An investigation of the relationship between educational attainment goals and motivation theory: a mixed-methods study of past and present graduate students in the United States

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 09/21/2017

Defense Date 07/20/2017

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag academic attainment,achievement,Family,goals,graduate degree,influence,level of education,Motivation,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Garcia, Pedro E. (committee chair), Castruita, Rudy (committee member), Ponciano, Leslie (committee member)

Creator Email klyntil@gmail.com,ktillman@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-430144

Unique identifier UC11265629

Identifier etd-TillmanKel-5743.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-430144 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-TillmanKel-5743-0.pdf

Dmrecord 430144

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Tillman, Kelly Lyn

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA