The Role of Academic Motivation and Mastery Goals in Shaping Adolescent Aspirations

Abstract

This study explores the potential association of academic motivation and mastery goal orientation with adolescents’ expectations, within the broader context of ecological and personal factors. Drawing on a sample of 193 Greek students (mean age 13.7 years, 56.5% girls), we employed a cross-sectional design using validated psychometric scales. Correlational analyses revealed strong, positive associations between students’ work expectation scores and both motivation (ρ = .75, p < .001) and mastery goal orientation (ρ = .74, p < .001). Hierarchical linear regression analyses confirmed that motivation, mastery goals, safety in neighborhood and peer support were associated with students’ occupational aspirations, explaining 67% of the variance (R² = .67) in the total sample, with motivation and mastery goals being the most powerful correlates. The findings highlight the high importance of internal motivational processes over demographic or contextual variables on students’ perceived futures. Implications are discussed for school-based career education, early guidance interventions, and policies aimed at fostering adaptive goal-setting in adolescence.