Mental Well-Being of Czech University Students: Academic Motivation, Self-Compassion, and Self-Criticism

Abstract

University students in the Czech Republic suffer from a low level of mental well-being. Research in other university student populations suggests that academic motivation, self-compassion, and self-criticism are strongly related to mental well-being. Students who are motivated to study, are kind toward themselves, and are less judgmental of themselves tend to have a high level of mental well-being. These relationships had not been evaluated in Czech students. Accordingly, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the relationships between mental well-being, academic motivation (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation), self-compassion (self-reassurance) and self-criticism (self-inadequacy and self-hate). Of 130 students approached, a convenience sampling of 119 psychology students at a university in the Czech Republic completed a survey regarding these constructs. Correlation, regression, and path analyses were conducted. Mental well-being was positively associated with intrinsic motivation and self-compassion, and negatively associated with amotivation and self-criticism. Self-compassion was identified as the strongest predictor of mental well-being. Lastly, intrinsic motivation mediated the pathway from self-compassion to mental well-being, but not the one from self-inadequacy to mental well-being, and the one from self-hate to mental well-being. Our findings can help educators to identify effective means to protect students’ mental well-being. Cultivating students’ self-compassion may be helpful to protect their mental well-being. University staff and educators in the Czech Republic need to consider ways to embed self-compassion training into their students’ programmes or university life.

Positive Mental Health of Migrants in the UK during COVID-19: A Review

“…These factors may indicate why the research about negative mental health is still mainstream compared with positive mental health. As highlighted in recent research [57], our findings suggest that more investigation into positive mental health is needed.…”

Aula magna interdisciplinar sobre saúde mental e motivação acadêmica

“…Associação entre motivação acadêmica, autocompaixão e autocrítica com bem-estar mental também foi encontrada em estudantes universitários checos (KOTERA et al, 2022).…”

Technostress and academic motivation: direct and indirect effects on university students' psychological health

“…Motivation and self-regulation processes represent essential components for optimal human functioning and key aspects in students' life (Yoo and Marshall, 2022 ), determining academic success and wellbeing (Pisarik, 2009 ; Kotera et al, 2022 ; Mašková et al, 2022 ), in terms of performance (Ali, 2020 ; Tan, 2020 ) and psychological health (Ryan and Deci, 2000 ; Marler et al, 2021 ; Juntunen et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Generally, there is clear evidence about the detrimental effect of amotivation, on the one hand, and positive effect of the more autonomous types of motivation, such as intrinsic motivation and identified regulation, on the other hand, on wellbeing and psychological health (Pisarik, 2009 ; Ryan and Deci, 2017 ; Kotera et al, 2022 ; Mašková et al, 2022 ). In contrast, evidence on the association between psychological outcomes and more controlled types of motivation, such as external and introjected regulation, is less straightforward.…”

“…In contrast, evidence on the association between psychological outcomes and more controlled types of motivation, such as external and introjected regulation, is less straightforward. Whereas multiple studies have found a negative effect of controlled motivation on psychological outcomes (e.g., Pisarik, 2009 ; Ryan and Deci, 2017 ), there are also studies that show no such association (Kotera et al, 2022 ; Mašková et al, 2022 ).…”