Motivation in Doctoral Students: Development and Psychometric Validation of the European Portuguese Version of the Motivation for PhD Studies Scale
Authors: Cardoso Catarina , Cristina Canavarro Maria , Pereira Marco 
Published: February 2025

Aim/Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the European Portuguese version of the Motivation for PhD Studies Scale (MPhD).

Background: The motivation of doctoral students has been identified as a factor influencing their enrolment in doctoral studies and its completion. Based on the Self-Determination Theory, the MPhD is a 15-item self-report measure that was recently developed with the aim of assessing the motivation for doctoral studies. MPhD assesses five types of regulation: intrinsic, integrated, identified, introjected, and external. However, this scale has not been validated for other cultures or languages, creating a gap attributable to the lack of validated and culturally adapted instruments tailored to doctoral students’ specific characteristics and needs.

Methodology: A sample of 299 Portuguese doctoral students (80.6% female) completed a web-based questionnaire that collected sociodemographic and doctoral-related information, the European Portuguese version of the MPhD, and other relevant self-report questionnaires (e.g., Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale).

Contribution: Our findings support the use of the MPhD among Portuguese doctoral students. Since the motivation and experiences of Portuguese doctoral students are understudied, this validation will contribute to improving research with these students.

Findings: The results supported the original five-factor structure by type of regulation (CFI = .935; RMSEA = .075 [.063-.087], p = .001; SRMR = .0607). Positive associations were found between more autonomous types of regulation and positive outcomes (e.g., self-determination) and between more controlled types of regulation and negative outcomes (e.g., symptoms of anxiety and depression). The scale reliability was very satisfactory.

Recommendations for Practitioners: It is suggested that the MPhD be used in interventions and initiatives, as it promotes approaches tailored to the specificities of PhD students and is culturally adapted for the Portuguese population. Practitioners should take into consideration the different types of motivation of PhD students and their implications for their mental health and doctoral progress. It is important to help students with less favorable motivations by promoting more favorable forms of motivation and self-regulation.

Recommendation for Researchers: The use of the MPhD in research on doctoral students should be considered since it has been validated for the Portuguese population, presents solid evidence of reliability and validity, and considers doctoral students’ cultural and academic characteristics. This validation facilitates understanding the specific aspects of doctoral students’ motivation, allowing advances in current research. Further validation studies of the MPhD in other countries are also recommended.

Impact on Society: The validation of the MPhD will foster research, assessment, and intervention better adapted to the cultural and academic characteristics of doctoral students. This work in the context of the doctorate will help prevent and intervene in maladaptive forms of motivation, impacting a personal, academic, and institutional level.

Future Research: With the validation of this scale, research will be able to use this assessment tool and promote further studies on doctoral students. It could also develop further validations of this scale in other countries.