The Sustainable Development Goals Psychological Inventory: A Network Analysis in Italian University Students

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals Psychological Inventory (SDGPI) is a recently developed self-report questionnaire that assesses interest, motivation, and self-efficacy associated with each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advanced by the United Nations. This study aims to investigate, via network analysis, (a) the relationships between interest, motivation, and self-efficacy for each SDG and (b) the most central SDGs. To this end, 417 Italian university students (73.9% females and 26.1% males; mean age: 22.20; DS = 3.02) were assessed through the SDGPI, and two network structures were estimated. The first network structure investigates links (edges) between interest, motivation, and self-efficacy in relation to each specific SDG. The second network structure investigates most central SDGs as the sum of interest, motivation, and self-efficacy for each specific SDG. Regarding results, the first network structure showed that five SDGs had strong and statistically significant edges between interest, motivation, and self-efficacy; seven SDGs had strong and statistically significant edges between interest and motivation but not self-efficacy; five SDGs had no statistically significant edges linking the other dimensions. The second network structure revealed that SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy) were the most central nodes. Implications for research, tailor-made interventions, and prevention were discussed.

From indecent work to sustainable livelihoods in the age of the Anthropocene

“…The recently developed Sustainable Development Goals Psychological Inventory (SDGPI) may be a starting point for vocational practitioners when working with job seekers entering the workforce or individuals looking to switch careers. The SDGPI is designed to assess the individual's perceptions and determine the importance of the 17 SDGs 8 through a focus on three psychological aspects – interest, motivation, and self-efficacy (Di Fabio & Rosen, 2020; Svicher et al, 2022). The O*NET taxonomy now lists more than 60 occupations that incorporate environmental aspects into the required knowledge and skills required in job performance (Dierdorff, 2013).…”

Relationship between Learning Strategies and Motivation of University Students

“…Therefore, motivation is collected as a key element of study to investigate the relationship between university students and concern for well-being. This can be appreciated in the research by Svicher et al [10] about a self-report that evaluates the interest, motivation, and self-efficacy associated with each of the SDGs in Italian university students or in the research by Kinoshita et al [11] on the development of an educational program for university students focused on the motivation for sustainability. The results of both investigations showed that students with higher levels of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation tended to use more effective learning strategies and are able to recognize their capacity to learn in order to generate and to make policy decisions through discourses that articulate and sustain good practices.…”