An Adaptation of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) for Postgraduate Students in Pakistan - Results of an Exploratory Factor Analysis

Oct 15, 2026

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This paper reports exploratory factor analysis results for the motivation scales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) among postgraduate students in Pakistan. The study analyzes motivational subscales to assess factor structure and internal reliability using a sample of 368 students within the Pakistani higher-education context. Findings show significant modification of the six motivation scales’ factor structure compared with prior versions, indicating the need for further development and careful adaptation of MSLQ for other Eastern settings, especially Pakistan.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ)

Participants and Data Collection

An Adaptation of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) for Postgraduate Students in Pakistan: Results of an Exploratory Factor Analysis Munaza Nausheen* Abstract This paper presents the results of an exploratory factor analysis of the motivation scales of Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) . This analysis was a part of my PhD research on motivational beliefs, course experiences and future plans of the postgraduate students in Pakistan. An exploratory factor analysis of motivational subscales was used to examine the factor structure and internal reliability of these scales with a sample of 368 postgraduate students in the context of Pakistan. The results of the study showed that the factor structure of the six motivation scales of the MSLQ was significantly modified with the current sample of postgraduate students in Pakistan. These results indicated that there was a need for further development and careful adaptation of MSLQ for use in other eastern contexts in general and in the context of Pakistani higher education in particular. Keywords: Motivational beliefs, postgraduate students, factor analysis *Assistant Professor, Institute of Education and Research, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. [Email: munaza.ier@pu.edu.pk](Email: munaza.ier@pu.edu.pk) Introduction Most of the research on student motivation and learning in Asian contexts has been conducted with Chinese populations. Pakistan is a collectivist country. Due to its cultural context, geographical location, religious affiliation and historical background, it may be considered to be different from previously studied Asian countries, such as, Singapore and Hong Kong. Therefore, this study extends the previous research on student motivation to the different socio-cultural milieu of Pakistan. The theoretical framework for conceptualizing student motivation in the current study is based on the model proposed by Pintrich and De Groot (1990), Pintrich (2000a, 2000b) and (Pintrich & Zusho, 2007) . This model has its roots in both the social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986; Schunk, 1995; Schunk, et al., 2008) and the general expectancy-value theory (Eccles, et al., 1983) . The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) is an extensively used instrument in research on students at college and university level. By drawing its basis from the social cognitive view of motivation and learning, the MSLQ was developed as a result of a number of correlational studies on the students‟ motivation and self regulated learning at the National Centre for Research for improving Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, USA. (Duncan & McKeachie, 2005; Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1993) . The MSLQ consists of two sections. The motivation section has 31 items about the motivational beliefs and the learning strategies section consists of 31 items about students‟ use of different cognitive and meta cognitive strategies. For the current study three motivational components of MSLQ (value, expectancy and affect) were used to measure the motivational beliefs of the students. The value component included the constructs intrinsic goal orientation (Intr), extrinsic goal orientation (Extr), and „task value‟(Taskv), the expectancy component included the constructs control of learning beliefs (Cont) and self-efficacy for learning and performance (Slfef) and the affective component included test anxiety (Tanx) .. The MSLQ scales have established levels of validity and reliability (Pintrich, et al., 1993) and have been used in hundreds of research studies and by a large number of instructors all over the world. The MSLQ has been translated into more than 20 different languages and its reliability and validity has been tested in two other languages (Spanish and Chinese) apart from English (Duncan & McKeachie, 2005) . According to Duncan and McKeachie (2005), the MS

FAQs

What instrument and variables does the study adapt for Pakistan postgraduate students?

The study adapts and examines the motivation scales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), focusing on motivational beliefs measured through value, expectancy, and affect components.

How was the exploratory factor analysis conducted?

An exploratory factor analysis was performed on motivational subscales to evaluate the factor structure and internal reliability, using data from 368 postgraduate students in Pakistan.

What were the main findings about the MSLQ factor structure?

The results showed that the factor structure of the six motivation scales of the MSLQ was significantly modified for the current sample of postgraduate students in Pakistan.

Why does the paper argue that further adaptation of MSLQ is needed?

Because the instruments developed in the USA may not function the same way or generate the same meaning in the Pakistani higher-education context, due to differences in teaching and learning environments.

Oct 15, 2026

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