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Schoolchildren's Academic Motivation Assessment3

Schoolchildren's Academic Motivation Assessment Test

Designed for understanding why a student engages with schoolwork, the Schoolchildren's Academic Motivation Assessment Test takes about five minutes and includes three questions. Its profile highlights different motives behind learning, achievement, relationships, creativity, responsibility, and security, helping students, parents, or educators reflect on supportive conditions for study.

Questions: 35 minutes

Schoolchildren's Academic Motivation Assessment: situation and reply bubbles

October 2, 2025October 2, 2025Material has been updatedOctober 2, 2025Material has been published

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Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

Achievement SuccessAS

Measures how strongly a student is driven to achieve success through high performance, persistence, and overcoming academic challenges.

example score2/4

2/4Moderateexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 2 indicates a moderate motivation to achieve success, suggesting the student is somewhat goal-oriented and willing to persist but may not consistently seek challenging tasks.

Creative Self-RealizationCSR

Measures how strongly a student is motivated to express creativity and individuality through academic work.

example score2/4

2/4Moderateexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 2 suggests a moderate drive to use studies as a way to express creativity, which may appear in selected tasks or supportive learning conditions.

CommunicativeC

Measures how strongly a student is motivated to learn through communication, collaboration, and interaction with others.

example score2/4

2/4Moderateexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 2 suggests a moderate communicative motive, meaning interaction and collaborative learning are somewhat important but not the primary driver.

Learning ProcessLP

Measures how much a student is motivated by enjoyment and interest in the learning process itself rather than by outcomes.

example score2/4

2/4Moderate process interestexample score

0 – 1Low process interest

2 – 3Moderate process interest

4High process interest

A score of 2 suggests a moderate interest in learning activities, where the process can be engaging at times but is not consistently a primary driver.

Learning ContentLC

Measures interest in the study material and the desire to learn something new (cognitive curiosity).

example score2/4

2/4Moderateexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 2 suggests a moderate interest in learning content, with curiosity present but not consistently dominant.

Failure AvoidanceFA

Measures the extent to which a student is motivated by avoiding mistakes, failure, and negative academic consequences.

example score2/4

2/4Moderateexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 2 indicates a moderate tendency to avoid failure, suggesting occasional worry about making mistakes that may influence study behavior.

PrestigeP

Measures how strongly a student is motivated by gaining recognition, respect, and higher status through academic achievement.

example score1/4

1/4Lowexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 1 indicates the prestige motive is relatively weak, so social approval and status are not a primary driver of the student's studying.

AffiliationA

Measures how strongly a student is motivated to study by building and maintaining positive relationships with classmates and teachers.

example score2/4

2/4Moderateexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 2 indicates a moderate affiliation motive, meaning social connection supports learning but is not the primary driver.

Well-BeingWB

This scale reflects how strongly a student’s learning motivation is driven by the desire for comfort, stability, and avoiding difficulties.

example score1/4

1/4Lowexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 1 suggests the well-being motive is relatively weak, meaning comfort and avoiding difficulties are not a primary driver of the student’s approach to studying.

Self-Determination and Self-ImprovementSDaSI

Measures the extent to which a student is motivated to learn for personal growth, self-development, and self-improvement.

example score2/4

2/4Moderateexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 2 suggests a moderate drive for self-determination and self-improvement, where learning is sometimes connected to personal growth but not consistently a primary motive.

Sense of Duty and ResponsibilitySoDaR

Measures the extent to which a student is motivated to study by a sense of duty, obligation, and personal responsibility for completing academic tasks.

example score2/4

2/4Moderateexample score

0 – 1Low

2 – 3Moderate

4High

A score of 2 indicates a moderate duty-and-responsibility motive, suggesting the student sometimes relies on obligation and discipline to complete academic work but it is not consistently dominant.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

School Psychologists

41%OF USERS

Use it to quickly identify what motivates a student and choose appropriate support or intervention strategies.

Teachers and Class Tutors

35%OF USERS

Take it to understand what drives their class or individual students and adjust teaching, feedback, and encouragement.

Concerned Parents

24%OF USERS

Use it to clarify why a child studies (or avoids studying) and to plan more effective home support.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Shaded area — where most people score

Dot — the average

You — your score lands on each curve after the test— your score, after the test

achievements of successaos

You?

Average2

Typical rangeTypical1.3 – 2.6

Possible0 – 4

creative self-expressioncs

You?

Average1.9

Typical rangeTypical1.2 – 2.6

Possible0 – 4

communicativec

You?

Average1.7

Typical rangeTypical1 – 2.3

Possible0 – 4

learning processlp

You?

Average2.7

Typical rangeTypical2.1 – 3.3

Possible0 – 4

content of the teachingcott

You?

Average1.7

Typical rangeTypical1.2 – 2.2

Possible0 – 4

avoidance of failureaof

You?

Average2.7

Typical rangeTypical2.1 – 3.3

Possible0 – 4

prestigep

You?

Average2.2

Typical rangeTypical1.7 – 2.8

Possible0 – 4

affiliationsa

You?

Average1.3

Typical rangeTypical0.7 – 1.8

Possible0 – 4

well-beingw

You?

Average1.9

Typical rangeTypical1.3 – 2.6

Possible0 – 4

self-determination and self-improvementsas

You?

Average2.7

Typical rangeTypical2.1 – 3.3

Possible0 – 4

debt and responsibilitydar

You?

Average1.1

Typical rangeTypical0.5 – 1.6

Possible0 – 4

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

You are presented with a set of statements. In the first step, select the statements that are of very great importance for learning. In the second step, you will need to select only seven statements that you consider especially important for you personally. In the third step, select the three most important statements.

- I understand that a student should do well in school.
- I try to meet the teacher’s requirements quickly and accurately.
- I want to finish school and continue my education.
- I want to be a cultured and well-rounded person.
- I want to get good grades.
- I want approval from teachers and parents.
- I want my classmates to always think well of me.
- I want to have many friends in my class.
- I want to be the best student in the class.
- I want my answers in class to always be better.
- I want to avoid being scolded by my parents and teachers.
- I do not want to get bad grades.
- I like learning new things.
- I like it when the teacher talks about something interesting.
- I like thinking and reasoning during class.
- I like taking on difficult tasks and overcoming challenges.
- I am interested in talking with the teacher about different topics.
- I prefer doing schoolwork in a group rather than alone.
- I like solving problems in different ways.
- I like everything new and unusual.
- I want to get only As and Bs.
- I want to achieve great success in the future.
- I understand that a student should study well.
- I try to meet the teacher’s requirements quickly and accurately.
- I want to finish school and continue my education.
- I want to be a cultured and well-rounded person.
- I want to get good grades.
- I want approval from teachers and parents.
- I want my classmates to always think well of me.
- I want to have many friends in my class.
- I want to be the best student in the class.
- I want my answers in class to always be better.
- I want my parents and teachers not to scold me.
- I do not want to get bad grades.
- I like learning new things.
- I like it when the teacher tells us something interesting.
- I like thinking and reasoning during class.
- I like taking on difficult tasks and overcoming challenges.
- I am interested in talking with the teacher about different topics.
- I prefer doing schoolwork in a group rather than alone.
- I like solving problems in different ways.
- I like everything new and unusual.
- I want to get only 4s and 5s.
- I want to achieve great success in the future.
- I understand that a student should study well.
- I try to meet the teacher’s requirements quickly and accurately.
- I want to finish school and continue my education.
- I want to be a well-educated and well-rounded person.
- I want to get good grades.
- I want approval from teachers and parents.
- I want my classmates to always think well of me.
- I want to have many friends in class.
- I want to be the best student in the class.
- I want my answers in class to always be better.
- I want to avoid being scolded by my parents and teachers.
- I do not want to get bad grades.
- I like learning new things.
- I like it when the teacher tells us something interesting.
- I like thinking and reasoning in class.
- I like taking on challenging tasks and overcoming difficulties.
- I am interested in talking with the teacher about different topics.
- I prefer doing schoolwork in a group rather than alone.
- I like solving problems in different ways.
- I like everything new and unusual.
- I want to get only grades of 4 and 5.
- I want to achieve great success in the future.

These are 3 of the 3 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

Schoolchildren's Academic Motivation Assessment Test - Description and methodology of the test

academic motivation

Students, parents, and educators can use this profile to examine what makes schoolwork meaningful, demanding, or socially important to a learner. The Schoolchildren's Academic Motivation Assessment Test organizes selected learning motives into a readable pattern, helping the reader compare curiosity, achievement, relationships, creativity, responsibility, security, and recognition without reducing motivation to one number. The result can support an academic motivation assessment of study conditions and goals.

What This Assessment Explores

Rather than judging ability or grades, this student motivation test examines why a learner engages with schoolwork. Its statements cover curiosity, enjoyment, achievement, fear of failure, creativity, social connection, recognition, safety, responsibility, and personal growth. The result shows which motives are most prominent while allowing several to be strong at the same time. It can clarify whether effort is pulled mainly by learning itself, desired outcomes, relationships, external approval, or avoidance of negative consequences. That pattern can help a student or supporting adult discuss realistic goals and more suitable ways to encourage participation. It is useful for understanding motivational context, not for ranking academic performance or predicting grades.

Methodology and Evidence Base

Three tasks narrow choices: learning statements, seven personally important, then three most important. The scales are:

Learning Content (0–4) and Learning Process (0–4) show curiosity and enjoyment.
Achievement Success (0–4) and Failure Avoidance (0–4) contrast striving with fear.
Creative Self-Realization (0–4), Self-Determination and Self-Improvement (0–4), and Sense of Duty and Responsibility (0–4) cover expression, growth, duty.
Communicative (0–4), Affiliation (0–4), Prestige (0–4), and Well-Being (0–4) cover connection, recognition, security.

Every scale uses Low 0–1, Moderate 2–3, or High 4–4; process-interest result is labeled Low process interest 0–1, Moderate process interest 2–3, and High process interest 4–4. Unstated item weights mean the ranges cannot yield a total.

It is conceptually consistent with the Matyukhina–Badmaeva Schoolchildren's Learning Motivation Diagnostic; Deci and Ryan's self-determination framework clarifies interest, growth, connection, and approval, without making this a standardized adaptation.

As a school motivation questionnaire, it has no norms, reliability estimate, or clinical cutoff. Workload, feedback, mood, self-awareness, and disclosure affect results; use results for reflection, not diagnosis.

Author: Edward L. Deci, Richard M. Ryan

Literature:

Badmaeva, Natalya Tsydenovna. Influence of the Motivational Factor on the Development of Mental Abilities: Monograph. Ulan-Ude: VSGTU Publishing, 2004, pp. 149–154. ISBN 5-89230-193-1.
Matyukhina, Margarita Viktorovna. Characteristics of Young Schoolchildren's Motivation to Study. Soviet Psychology, 1985, 24(2), 46–58. 10.2753/RPO1061-0405240246.
Deci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 2000, 11(4), 227–268. 10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01.

Updated: 2025-10-02