Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “MOTIVATION”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Evaluating patient motivation in physical disabilities practice settings.

OBJECTIVES: Motivation is an important factor in and predictor of a person's recovery from illness, yet no information exists about how occupational therapists actually evaluate patient motivation in clinical practice. This article describes a pilot study of how occupational therapists in physical disabilities settings evaluate patient motivation. METHOD: A sample of 150 fieldwork coordinators in physical disabilities treatment centers were surveyed about whether they evaluate patient motivation and about the methods they used to evaluate patient motivation. RESULTS: Most respondents reported that they evaluate motivation informally and throughout treatment. Respondents evaluate motivation mostly via general discussion, observation of patient conduct and actions, and information from others. Less than one third discussed interests and goals with patients to evaluate motivation. Despite questionable methods of evaluation of motivation, a majority of respondents reported that their evaluation influences their treatment approaches and improves treatment outcomes. CONCLUSION: Instruction about the definition and evaluation of motivation may increase the frequency of motivation evaluation in occupational therapy.

Adult↗

Achievement motivation and academic performance among Turkish early and young adolescents in The Netherlands.

The authors conducted 3 studies in which Turkish and other adolescents in the Netherlands completed questionnaires that addressed the importance of collectivist cultural values for achievement motivation and educational outcomes. Compared with other minority group students and Dutch students, the Turkish students had stronger family-oriented achievement motivation. In addition, only among the Turks was ethnic identification positively related to family motivation. Furthermore, there were no differences in individual achievement motivation between the Turks and Dutch, and only among the former group was a combination of family motivation and individual motivation found. Also, for the Turks, family motivation was positively related to task-goal orientation, which mediated the relationship between family motivation and academic performance. Individual motivation was an independent predictor of performance. For the other ethnic minority groups and the Dutch, family motivation was not related to task-goal orientation and performance. In addition, for these groups, task-goal orientation mediated the relationship between individual achievement motivation and performance.

Adolescent↗

[Perceptions of nursing service managers in the South African Military Health Service on their level of motivation].

The process of transformation in the South African Military Health Services, has influenced the nursing service managers' level of motivation and the following research question is applicable: what are the perceptions of the nursing service managers within the South African Military Health Services on their level of motivation? The purpose with this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of nursing service managers on their level of motivation within these health services. A qualitative research design was utilized and four focus group interviews were conducted with 33 nursing service managers country wide. The transcribed interviews were exposed to a content analysis. The results confirm that the level of motivation amongst these nursing service managers is low. The demotivators relate mainly to the following: inadequate acknowledgement, job insecurity in relation to the future, problems with the process of integration, transformation and rationalization, problems with management, many labour related issues, poor/inadequate communication, inadequate support, increased work load, poor physical environment, negative publicity and poor self motivation. Although there were a few motivators identified, they were of less importance. These results were interpreted within Herzberg's motivation theory to identify the hygiene/maintenance factors and to assess whether the important motivators were in place. During any process of change, and/or when the level of motivation amongst employees is low, it is important to adequately manage the environment (hygiene/maintenance factors within the Herzberg theory). But it is even more important to ensure that the motivators are in place or to intensify them. It is therefore recommended that a motivation strategy, based on the Herzberg theory as well as the Hackman-Oldham job enrichment model, be developed, implemented and evaluated.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

[Loss of motivation and frontal dysfunctions in old patients].

UNLABELLED: Loss of motivation and frontal dysfunction are frequent in old people. Motivation refers to what drives acts and relationships. The loss of motivation has some spécific characteristics from depression: loss of sens of meaning, loss of commitment for others, disinterest for daily activities. The frontal function is related to speed of acting, emotional system, anticipating of the future. All these points are altered in demotivated patients. For these reasons we assayed to analyse the possible links between loss of motivation and frontal dysfunctions. METHODS: The focus of this assay was to determine and to precise the functional links between frontal brain and loss of motivation in old people; 45 old patients cared in a day care hospital were proposed to participate to neuropsychologic evaluation. After their agreement and their family acceptation if they were demented, they were assessed by a practitioner, then by 2 different psychologists. They were evaluated for cognition (MMS), depression (Cornell's scale), apathy (Marin's scale), age and scholarships level. In a other time, they were tested with different frontal tests: Trail making A and B, Wisconsin, BREF (frontal battery of psychological tests) ana-lyse concerned speeds, number and natures of errors, habilities for matching categories. Loss of demotivation was scored on EAD scale. Statistical analysis was done with Systat 10 and Statview software. RESULTS: It could be notice the significant negative links between EAD scores and the BREF scales, or with the number of categories found with the Wisconsin test. The more motivated the patients are the best results they have with their frontal tests. There are positive and significant links between EAD score and the number of errors at the Wisconsin test, and especially with repetitive errors either with this test or with BREF test. Repetitive errors and the number of errors, pointing some frontal dysfunctions are associated with a loss of motivation. Considering BREF sub-items, it could be shown the negative links between EAD scores and programmation or inhibition sub-items. All these points persist in a statistical model including pathology, cognitive levels, depression level at the Cornell's scale, age or scholarship level. We do not find a link between EAD scores and the time obtained with the Trail making test. CONCLUSION: Loss of motivation is associated with some frontal impairment responsible for numerous errors in tasks. A good motivation of old people is associated with good frontal habilities especially in complex tasks or in programming capacities of old patients. There is no links between the speeds of tasks and the level of motivation. Motivation could be so related with orbito-frontal brain activities.

Affect↗

An education and training course in motivational interviewing influence: GPs' professional behaviour--ADDITION Denmark.

BACKGROUND: Motivational interviewing has been shown to be broadly usable in a scientific setting in the management of behavioural problems and diseases. However, data concerning implementation and aspects regarding the use of motivational interviewing in general practice is missing. AIM: To evaluate GPs' conception of motivational interviewing in terms of methods, adherence to and aspects of its use in general practice after a course. STUDY DESIGN: In a randomised controlled trial concerning intensive treatment of newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes detected by screening, the GPs were randomised to a course in motivational interviewing or not. The study also included a third group of GPs outside the randomised controlled trial, who had 2 years previously received a similar course in motivational interviewing. SETTING: General practice in Denmark. METHOD: The intervention consisted of a 1.5-day residential course in motivational interviewing with 0.5-day follow-ups, twice during the first year. Questionnaire data from GPs were obtained. RESULTS: We obtained a 100% response-rate from the GPs in all three groups. The GPs trained in motivational interviewing adhered statistically significantly more to the methods than did the control group. More than 95% of the GPs receiving the course stated that they had used the specific methods in general practice. CONCLUSION: A course in motivational interviewing seems to influence GPs professional behaviour. Based on self-reported questionnaires, this study shows that the GPs after a course in motivational interviewing seemed to change their professional behaviour in daily practice using motivational interviewing compared with the control group. GPs evaluated motivational interviewing to be more effective than 'traditional advice giving'. Furthermore, GPs stated that the method was not more time consuming than 'traditional advice giving'.

Denmark↗

Effects of qualitative and quantitative food restriction treatments on feeding motivational state and general activity level of growing broiler breeders.

Growing broiler breeder chickens are fed restricted rations to limit body weight at sexual maturity. This experiment tested a proposal (Brouns, F., Edwards, S.A., English, P.R., 1994. Effect of dietary fibre and feeding system on activity and oral behaviour of group housed gilts. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 39, 215-223.) that feeding motivation is reduced by using qualitative rather than quantitative food restriction, and it examined relationships among suppression of growth rate, feeding motivational state and general activity level. From 2 to 15 weeks of age, female broiler breeders were reared in six groups of 20, each with a different feeding treatment. The six treatments were: high and low levels of diet dilution (600-700 g/kg and 300-350 g/kg oat feed, ad libitum), appetite suppression (50-60 g/kg and 25-30 g/kg calcium propionate, ad libitum) and quantitative restriction (recommended daily ration and twice that amount). Birds were conditioned to an operant (PR1 schedule) feeding procedure with their respective treatment diets from 3 to 7 weeks, and this was used to measure feeding motivation in 12-min tests at three times of day (1000, 1300 and 1600 h) at 8, 10, 12 and 14 weeks. Proportions of time spent sitting were measured as an index of general inactivity in systematic observations at 9, 11, 13 and 15 weeks. Although the diet dilution and appetite suppression (qualitative) treatments did not limit growth rates as intended, they and the quantitative treatments produced a range of mean body weights to compare with feeding motivation whenever birds were tested. With body weight as a covariate, there were significant effects on numbers of operant responses in 12 min (the measure of feeding motivation) of weight, age, time of day and treatmentxtime interaction, but not treatment. Feeding motivation was positively correlated with suppression of growth rate, regardless of how that suppression was achieved. However, the experimental procedure required all test birds to be without food from 0900 or 0915 h, and motivation was lowest in the earliest (1000 h) test with qualitative but not quantitative treatments. Hence, there was some evidence that feeding motivation may be partially suppressed with qualitative food restriction; distinction can be made between short-term and longer-term feeding motivation. General activity level (inversely reflected by time spent sitting) was closely correlated positively with both suppression of growth rate and feeding motivation. As a fundamental relationship between feeding motivation and reduction of growth rate was not altered by using qualitative rather than quantitative food restriction, these results support an earlier conclusion (Savory, C.J., Hocking, P.M., Mann, J.S., Maxwell, M.H., 1996. Is broiler breeder welfare improved by using qualitative rather than quantitative food restriction to limit growth rate? Anim. Welfare 5, 105-127.) that broiler breeder welfare is not improved with qualitative restriction methods.

Journal Article↗

Surgeon compensation and motivation.

HYPOTHESIS: Financial incentives are the only form of compensation that will motivate surgeons at an academic health sciences center to perform the tasks outlined in the hospital's mission statement. DESIGN: A questionnaire divided into 5 sections: demographics, compensation, time allocation, benefits and incentives, and motivational factors. SETTING: The Department of Surgery, The Toronto Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: All academic surgeons (N=64) practicing at The Toronto Hospital in July 1997. RESULTS: Of the 64 eligible mailed surveys, there were responses for 59. Of these 59 surgeons, 48 (81%) receive compensation through a fee-for-service method. However, only 32 (54%) of the surgeons prefer the fee-for-service method, while 18 (31%) prefer salary and 9 (15%) prefer an alternative system. On average, these academic surgeons spend 44% of their time teaching or performing research, for which they receive 14% of their total income. Of the motivational factors assessed, financial bonuses are a positive motivational factor for all "surgeon tasks." In addition, task-specific motivational factors were established for research, teaching, and operating, including research facilities, mentorship and prestige, and interesting case types, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons are not appropriately renumerated for time spent on academic activities, and many would prefer an alternative form of compensation to the fee-for-service method. Knowledge that surgeons are receptive to tasks supporting the hospital's mission statement leads us to conclude that appropriate motivation can shape the activity of academic surgeons. Financial rewards ranked the highest as a motivational factor for all surgeon tasks; however, task-specific motivational factors were identified. Overall, multiple factors, specifically targeted to the individual, will serve to motivate. Thus, compensation packages based on individual preferences and personal motivational factors will be the most successful.

Academic Medical Centers↗

Who drinks and why? A review of socio-demographic, personality, and contextual issues behind the drinking motives in young people.

The aim was to review the empirical research carried out over the last 15 years on the characteristics of young people (10- to 25-year olds) who have specific motives for drinking. In a computer-assisted search of relevant literature, 82 studies were identified. Concerning demographic factors, a developmental trend was found - from general, undifferentiated drinking motives in late childhood and early adolescence to more gender-specific drinking motives in subsequent years. With regard to personality factors, two specific patterns can be distinguished: extraversion and sensation-seeking correlate with enhancement motives, while neuroticism and anxiety correlate most strongly with coping motives. For contextual factors, drinking motives were found to vary across countries but not among different ethnic groups in the same culture. Based on these results, preventive strategies should take into account general, undifferentiated drinking motivation in late childhood, and social and enhancement motives in adolescence, particularly among boys. Findings on personality indicate that it would be useful to focus on extraverted, sensation-seeking boys who drink for enhancement motives and neurotic, anxious girls who drink for coping motives.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Sources of motivation for abstinence: a replication analysis of the reasons for quitting questionnaire.

The Reasons for Quitting Questionnaire (RFQ) as modified by McBride and colleagues (C. M. McBride et al., 1994) for use with substance users other than tobacco smokers, was administered to individuals approved for public-sector addiction treatment. Four motivation dimensions, similar to those found by McBride et al., were identified: self-concept issues, health concerns, legal issues, and social influence. A forced two-component solution yielded dimensions interpretable as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Self-concept issues provided the highest levels of motivation for abstinence in this sample, with moderate levels provided by health concerns, and the lowest levels provided by legal and social influence components. Intrinsic motivation was higher than extrinsic motivation. Logistic regression models, with adjustment for total motivation, tested the association of successful abstinence during a follow-up period with baseline extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and with the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic levels. All three associations were significant: intrinsic motivation (positive association), extrinsic motivation (negative association), and the difference score (positive association). The results suggest the usefulness of the 20-item modified RFQ in evaluating motivation for abstinence among treatment seekers exhibiting severe negative consequences of addiction. Testing with samples varying in severity of addiction consequences is recommended.

Adolescent↗

The relations of trait anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, and sensation seeking to adolescents' motivations for alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use.

The present study investigated relations of anxiety sensitivity and other theoretically relevant personality factors to Copper's [Psychological Assessment 6 (1994) 117.] four categories of substance use motivations as applied to teens' use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. A sample of 508 adolescents (238 females, 270 males; mean age = 15.1 years) completed the Trait subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI), and the Intensity and Novelty subscales of the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking. Users of each substance also completed the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) and/or author-compiled measures for assessing motives for cigarette smoking and marijuana use, respectively. Multiple regression analyses revealed that, in the case of each drug, the block of personality variables predicted "risky" substance use motives (i.e., coping, enhancement, and/or conformity motives) over-and-above demographics. High intensity seeking and low anxiety sensitivity predicted enhancement motives for alcohol use, high anxiety sensitivity predicted conformity motives for alcohol and marijuana use, and high trait anxiety predicted coping motives for alcohol and cigarette use. Moreover, anxiety sensitivity moderated the relation between trait anxiety and coping motives for alcohol and cigarette use: the trait anxiety-coping motives relation was stronger for high, than for low, anxiety sensitive individuals. Implications of the findings for improving substance abuse prevention efforts for youth will be discussed.

Adolescent↗

Molecular overexpression of extracellular superoxide dismutase increases the dependency of learning and memory performance on motivational state.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) controls the availability of extracellular superoxide and appears to play a role in controlling intercellular signaling. In this role EC-SOD can have potent effects on neurobehavioral function. In previous studies, we have found that either over- or under-expression of EC-SOD in mice significantly impairs spatial learning on the radial-arm maze. In the current study, the neurobehavioral nature of the EC-SOD role in cognitive function was determined. EC-SOD overexpression altered the relationship between both learning and memory with motivational state. Mice were tested in the radial-arm maze under a high motivational state (22-24 hours of food restriction) or a low motivational state (4-6 hours of food restriction). Under a high motivational state, the EC-SOD overexpressing mice were able to learn in the radial-arm maze, albeit at a slightly lower rate than wild-type controls. This contrasts with the failure to learn by EC-SOD overexpressing mice in our previous study conducted with the low motivational state. The change in motivational state did not significantly alter the learning rate of controls. Similarly, during postacquisition memory phase of testing, the EC-SOD overexpressing mice were significantly worse than controls when tested in a low motivational state but not under a high motivation state. As with learning, motivational state did not significantly affect memory performance in controls. This study shows that mice with EC-SOD overexpression are not incapable of learning and memory in the radial-arm maze, but that the mechanisms which allow control animals to perform this task well under low motivational states are deficient in the mice with EC-SOD overexpression.

Animals↗

Amphetamine primes motivation to gamble and gambling-related semantic networks in problem gamblers.

Previous research suggests that gambling can induce effects that closely resemble a psychostimulant drug effect. Modest doses of addictive drugs can prime motivation for drugs with similar properties. Together, these findings imply that a dose of a psychostimulant drug could prime motivation to gamble in problem gamblers. This study assessed priming effects of oral D-amphetamine (AMPH) (30 mg) in a within-subject, counter-balanced, placebo-controlled design in problem gamblers (n=10), comorbid gamblerdrinkers (n=6), problem drinkers (n=8), and healthy controls (n=12). Modified visual analog scales assessed addictive motivation and subjective effects. A modified rapid reading task assessed pharmacological activation of words from motivationally relevant and irrelevant semantic domains (Gambling, Alcohol, Positive Affect, Negative Affect, Neutral). AMPH increased self-reported motivation for gambling in problem gamblers. Severity of problem gambling predicted positive subjective effects of AMPH and motivation to gamble under the drug. There was little evidence that AMPH directly primed motivation for alcohol in problem drinkers. On the reading task, AMPH produced undifferentiated improvement in reading speed to all word classes in Nongamblers. By contrast, in the two problem gambler groups, AMPH improved reading speed to Gambling words while profoundly slowing reading speed to motivationally irrelevant Neutral words. The latter finding was interpreted as directly congruent with models, which contend that priming of addictive motivation involves a linked suppression of motivationally irrelevant stimuli. This study provides experimental evidence that psychostimulant-like neurochemical activation is an important component of gambling addiction.

Adult↗

Associations between severity of dentofacial deformity and motivation for orthodontic-orthognathic surgery treatment.

The successful outcome of orthognathic surgery is related to patient satisfaction and motivation. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the association between 1) severity of dentofacial deformity derived from cephalometric measures and 2) patient motivation for treatment. The initial cephalograms of 142 patients aged 16 years or older from the Dentofacial Program of the University of Michigan were traced and digitized. Inclusion criteria were established by assigning ANB 4 degrees to 15 degrees to define severe skeletal Class II (n = 65) and ANB - 15 degrees to -4 degrees to define severe skeletal Class III (n = 20). Motivation for orthodontics and surgery was derived from clinician administered forms scaled 1-10 with Low (1-5) and High (8-10). The cephalometric measure ANB was significant (p = 0.02) for high/low motivation for orthodontic treatment using Student's t test. No other cephalometric measures were significant for high/low motivation for orthodontics or surgery using Student's t test. Class II patients were significantly (p = 0.014) more motivated than Class III patients for orthodontic treatment. No significant difference was found for motivation for surgery between skeletal Class II and skeletal Class III patients. Patients with severe sagittal Class II deformities had higher motivation for orthodontics than surgery. The cephalometric measure, ANB, defining severe skeletal Class II and Class III patients did predict motivation level for orthodontics. None of the other 18 cephalometric measures were predictive of patient motivation for either orthodontics or surgery.

Adolescent↗

Motivations for healthful dietary change.

OBJECTIVE: To describe scales that measure motivations for changing dietary behaviour, and to examine associations of these scales with current diet and dietary change. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of a randomised trial of a self-help intervention to promote lower fat and higher fruit and vegetable consumption. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants were 1205 adults selected at random from enrolees of a large Health Maintenance Organization. At baseline, data were collected on motives for changing diet, fruit and vegetable intake, fat-related dietary habits, and demographic characteristics. Participants were then randomised to receive the intervention or to receive no materials. A follow-up survey was administered at 12 months. RESULTS: A majority of participants reported that it was very important to make dietary changes to feel better (72%) and to control an existing medical problem (57%), but very few (4%) were motivated by pressure from others. Factor analysis of the diet motivation items yielded two intrinsic ('self-image' and 'personal health') and one extrinsic ('social pressure') scales with fair internal consistency reliabilities (Cronbach's alpha = 0.59 to 0.68). Motivation scales were statistically significantly associated with demographic characteristics and baseline diet. For example, desire for a better self-image was a stronger motivator for changing diet among females, while personal health was more important to older persons and men (P < 0.001). Social pressure to change diet was statistically significantly associated with higher fat intake (r = 0.11) and self-image was associated with lower fat intake (r = -0.14, both P < 0.001). Motivation by social pressure and self-image were both significantly associated with greater fat reduction at 12 months post-intervention (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The intrinsic and extrinsic motivation scales were weakly associated with current diet and predicted response to dietary intervention. More research is needed to better characterise and measure motives for dietary change, and to test whether tailoring interventions based on individuals' motives for dietary change would improve intervention effectiveness.

Adolescent↗

Consulting a complementary and alternative medical practitioner: a systematic inventory of motives among French patients.

OBJECTIVES: To classify people's motives for seeking care from complementary and alternative medicine practitioners. Participants were asked about a wide variety of motives representing all eight motivational states described in Reversal Theory (RT): telic, paratelic, conformist, negativist, mastery, sympathy, autic, and alloic. DESIGN: Data from a convenience sample of 256 participants was examined using factorial techniques. RESULTS: Six factors were evidenced that were easily interpretable in the RT framework. Participants perceived their motives largely in terms of goals and means, and within this domain they focused more on the goals (i.e., telic motives were more important than paratelic ones). Paratelic motives were, however, not unimportant: they ranked third. Participants also perceived their motives in terms of rules and constraints, and within this domain they focused more on rules (i.e., conformist motives were more important than negativist ones). Participants, finally, perceived their motives in terms of the combined domains of relationships and exchanges with others, namely, acting out of concern for others (alloic sympathy) as well as for themselves (autic mastery). CONCLUSIONS: If the six-factor structure is proved applicable, the six corresponding subscales could be used for systematically comparing motives among different types of patients, regarding different types of therapies, and among patients from different cultures.

Adult↗

The implications of Herzberg's "motivation-hygiene" theory for management in the Irish health sector.

Given that they create what it sells, employees are the Irish Health service's most valuable asset. They are increasingly being asked to embrace change on many different levels. In order to facilitate this process, it behooves management to actively promote employee motivation. Herzberg et al's "motivation-hygiene" theory of motivation proposes that certain "motivator" and "hygiene" factors can respectively affect job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Considering "motivators," better on-the-job performance may increase motivation. However, work overload can become a dissatisfier. Devolving equal levels of authority and responsibility and providing appropriate recognition may also serve to motivate. Likewise, providing opportunities for promotion and personal growth may maintain motivation, as might re-engineering of jobs so that work remains meaningful. Over time both salary and incentives may come to be viewed as entitlements and lose their ability to motivate. Other "hygiene" factors such as organizational policy and administrative structure, relations with others, job insecurity, physical working conditions, and quality of supervision can lead to job dissatisfaction. Hence, the theory of Herzberg et al usefully highlights many factors that may serve to motivate or demotivate employees. However, this theory does not reflect some of the realities of the modern health care work environment.

Health Care Sector↗

What kind of motivation drives medical students' learning quests?

AIMS: To describe the patterns of medical students' motivation early in the undergraduate programme and to examine their relationships with learning features and motivational outcomes. METHODS: The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) was administered after the first medical year to 297 students of both sexes from consecutive classes within a 4-year timeframe. Measures of learner orientation and reflection in learning were also obtained. Academic achievement and peer tutoring experience were recorded during a 2-year follow-up. Quantitative approaches included analysis of variance, correlational and classificatory analyses of the data. RESULTS: The profile of the students' responses revealed higher levels of autonomous motivation than of controlled motivation although such measures were positively related. Correlation analysis showed significant association of autonomous motivation with higher levels of meaning orientation, reflection in learning, academic achievement, cross-year peer-tutoring experience, and intention to continue with studies. Classificatory analysis identified 4 student groups with distinct patterns of motivation. Analysis of variance revealed significant and consistent differences in learning features and outcomes among such groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that medical students portray distinct patterns of autonomous and controlled motivation that seem to relate to the learners' frame of mind towards learning as well as the educational environment. Autonomous motivation had closer relationships than controlled motivation with measures of self-regulation of learning and academic success in the context of a demanding medical programme.

Achievement↗

The influence of subjective alertness and motivation on human performance independent of circadian and homeostatic regulation.

Endogenous circadian rhythmicity and sleep-wake homeostasis are robust regulators of human alertness and performance, yet few studies have examined how these regulatory processes affect motivation. Moreover, the influence of alertness and motivation on performance, independent of circadian phase and hours awake, has not been studied. Healthy subjects, 12 males and 3 females, ages 20 to 41, participated in a 2-week 28-h forced desynchrony protocol to address these issues. Subjects performed a battery of tests every 2 hours during scheduled wakefulness. Performance on a mathematical addition test and ratings of alertness and motivation on visual analog scales were analyzed. Performance scores were categorized as being associated with the highest or lowest alertness and motivation ratings for each circadian phase/hours awake bin to determine whether high levels of alertness and motivation resulted in higher performance scores above and beyond the effects of circadian and homeostatic regulation. Motivation varied significantly as a function of circadian phase and hours awake. Motivation and alertness were correlated. When circadian phase and hours awake were accounted for, performance was better when alertness and motivation ratings were highest and worse when those ratings were lowest. The present findings suggest that human performance is influenced by alertness and motivation independent of circadian phase and hours awake. Future studies examining the influence of circadian phase and sleep-wake homeostasis on human performance also should assess alertness and motivation to aid in the interpretation of performance data. Such studies also may aid in the development of countermeasures to improve human performance.

Adult↗