A Study of Motivation and Burnout among Law, Engineering and Medical Students Undergraduates

Motivation is the main driving factor for students to actively participate in teaching and learning activities. Highly motivated students have an intense desire to learn during their studies. However, students who are exposed to prolonged stress, anxiety, and pressure due to their excessive workload may experience burnout. Burnout causes a detrimental effect and may adversely affect students' academic performance and overall well-being. Therefore, this study is carried out to explore students' perceptions of their use of learning strategies and to investigate the relationship between motivation and burnout among undergraduates from different disciplines, i.e. social science and science technology. The method used in this study was quantitative, using a questionnaire as the main instrument. A set of questionnaires is designed to gain primary data and is divided into three sections: Section A: Demographic Profile; Section B: Value, Expectancy, and Affective Components; and Section C: Exhaustion and Disengagement. A total of 81 respondents, including law, engineering and medical law students, participated in the survey. The data were then collected and analysed using the software Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The findings of the study reveal that there is a weak relationship between burnout and value components as well as expectancy components, and there is no relationship with regards to affective components. It shows that students are less likely to experience burnout when they are motivated. Higher levels of motivation are associated with lower levels of burnout. Students' motivation can be seen as the driving force in preventing burnout, thus ensuring learning and improving academic performance.