As (des)motivações das vivências no ensino superior na UFAM

Abstract

Entering university marks the beginning of a new phase for students, and motivation—essential to the study of mental health—is a determining factor for enrolling in, remaining in, and completing higher education. The aim of this research was to analyze the discourse constructed by undergraduate students from different programs at the Federal University of Amazonas regarding their academic trajectories and to identify elements that shape their motivations throughout their time in higher education. This study presents a section of a hybrid quantitative–qualitative research aimed at identifying, through a sentence-completion technique, the main factors that influence academic motivation and analyzing how these factors affect the performance and persistence of undergraduate students at UFAM. The methodology included the analysis of semi-structured interviews, transcribed and processed using the IRAMUTEQ software, with emphasis on Descending Hierarchical Classification (DHC). The results indicate that motivation is directly related to institutional support and the opportunities provided by a federal university, in addition to being influenced by learning challenges and psychological distress. This work contributes to the understanding of academic motivation and offers reflections on its relevance in higher education.