The Relationship between Academic Stress and Students’ Motivation to Learn: A Perceptual Study

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between academic stress and students’ motivation to learn from a perceptual perspective. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 300 undergraduate students from various faculties of a public university, selected through multistage sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire measuring academic stress, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation. Descriptive statistics revealed that students experienced moderate academic stress, moderate-to-high intrinsic motivation, and moderate extrinsic motivation. Inferential analyses indicated a significant negative correlation between academic stress and intrinsic motivation, and a smaller but significant negative correlation with extrinsic motivation. Female students reported higher intrinsic motivation than males, while academic stress levels increased with year of study, particularly among final-year students. Regression analysis confirmed that academic stress was a strong predictor of intrinsic motivation even after controlling for demographic variables. The findings suggest that academic stress undermines students’ self-driven learning, highlighting the need for effective stress-management interventions and motivation-enhancing strategies in higher education.