Motivation Profiles of Engineering Doctoral Students and Implications for Persistence

The purpose of this full-length research paper is to explore the motivation profiles of engineering doctoral students (EDS) and their effects on student persistence. A Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified five profiles across four constructs from the Future Time Perspective (FTP) framework, with three straightforward profiles (Low, Average, and High) and two mixed profiles (Low Connectedness and Low Multiplicity). Two between-subjects ANCOVAs were run to test for differences in difficulty ascertaining degree progress (DADP) and intentions to persist (IP). DADP differed significantly by profile assignment, F(4,1137) = 21.38, p <.001, Partial-eta squared =.07, as did IP, F(4,1136) = 12.26, p <.001, Partial-eta squared =.04. This indicates that there are distinct motivation profiles among EDS with implications for student progress and persistence. Differences between the five profiles and their effect on DADP and IP will be discussed in further detail, along with recommendations for faculty and advisors.