The Role of Self-Determination in Mitigation of Strain: Motivation as the Mediator between the Learning Environment and Psychological Distress among Medical Students

Abstract

Medical training entails exceptionally high level of academic rigor and demands highest level performance expectations requiring which requires persistent efforts as well as excellence. This results in medical students experiencing highest level academic demands, a competitive environment, long hours of clinical training and emotionally challenging encounters with human suffering. This would result in incidence of psychological distress. The learning environment plays a vital role in facilitating the wellbeing of the medical students. The present study focused on the complex interaction between the perception of learning environment, self-determined motivation and psychological distress in medical students. The specific objective was to determine the mediating role of self-determined motivation between the relationship of learning environment with psychological distress. The quantitative research method adopted the cross-sectional analytical survey collected data from 318 medical students using random stratified sampling technique. Data was collected using adapted John Hopkins Learning Environment Scale, Academic Motivation Scale for college students to calculate Self-Determination Index (SDI) and Depression, Anxiety, Stress-21 (DASS-21). Data analysis was performed utilizing the partial least square structural equation model to measure measurement and structural models and to test for mediation effect of SDI. The results revealed the direct negative effect of the learning environment on the psychological distress. Learning environment had a significant positive predictive effect on self-determination index (SDI). However, the SDI was negative predictor of psychological distress. The direct effect of the learning environment on psychological distress and its indirect effect through SDI were highly significant, indicating the mediating effect of SDI.