Designing a Psychological Intervention Model to Enhance Achievement Motivation among Low-Motivated Secondary School Students
Keywords:
achievement motivation, low-motivated students, psychological intervention, secondary school, thematic analysis, TehranAbstract
This study aimed to design a psychological intervention model for enhancing achievement motivation among low-motivated secondary school students based on the lived experiences of students, teachers, and school counselors in Tehran. This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. The research population included low-motivated upper-secondary students, teachers, and school counselors in Tehran. Participants were selected through purposive sampling with attention to diversity in gender, grade level, school type, and educational experience. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. A total of 24 participants, including 16 students, 4 teachers, and 4 school counselors, took part in the study. After obtaining informed consent, interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo software. Data analysis involved open coding, conceptual categorization, and extraction of main themes. Trustworthiness was enhanced through member checking, peer review, prolonged engagement with the data, and an audit trail. Data analysis resulted in five main categories: reconstruction of the meaning of academic success, strengthening self-efficacy and perceived competence, emotional and relational support at school, training in self-regulation and goal setting, and connecting learning with future orientation and personal identity. Findings indicated that students’ low motivation was not merely a function of individual weakness or lack of interest; rather, it emerged from the interaction of repeated failure, social comparison, evaluation pressure, future ambiguity, diminished perceived competence, and insufficient emotional support at school. Based on these categories, a multidimensional intervention model was developed, including cognitive, emotional, relational, behavioral, and future-oriented components. The findings suggest that enhancing achievement motivation among low-motivated students requires a multidimensional intervention that simultaneously targets motivational beliefs, perceived competence, teacher–student and counselor–student relationships, self-regulated learning skills, and students’ perception of the future value of learning. The proposed model can serve as a basis for school-based programs, academic counseling sessions, and short-term psychological interventions in secondary schools.
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