| College retention and graduation rates are significantly lower for African American and Hispanic American students. Questions remain regarding factors that impact academic motivational differences between cultural groups. Limited research has been conducted on the relationship between academic motivation and perceived social support. The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of perceived social support as a predictor of academic motivation and academic success across cultures; the value of socioeconomic status (SES) and generation with college experience as predictors were also assessed. Participants consisted of 454 undergraduate students from three cultural groups, including European Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans. The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and a demographic form were administered during regular classroom hours. |
