Comparison of the Need Satisfaction, Happiness in Life, Academic Motivation and Life Purpose of University Students With and Without Economic Freedom

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the satisfaction of needs, happiness, academic motivation and life purpose of students who work and do not work in a job that provides financial benefits during the university life. The research is based on correlational research design. The sample of the study consists of 381 (261 women and 120 men) students studying at universities throughout Turkey during the 2021-2022 academic year. The data were collected through The Psychological Needs Scale, Oxford Happiness Scale-Short Form, Academic Motivation Scale, Scale of Life Goals-Short Form and Demographic Information Form. In line with the main purpose of the study, independent groups t-test was used to examine whether the average means of variables differed by gender and financial benefit, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between satisfaction of needs, happiness, academic motivation and life purpose. The results revealed that there was a significant and positive relationship between the satisfaction of needs, happiness, academic motivation and life purpose. The level of inner purpose, happiness and academic motivation, which is one of the two sub-dimensions of life purpose, differed according to gender. The difference was in favor of women. The level of relationship need, happiness in life, academic motivation and life goals, which was one of the three subdimensions of need satisfaction, differed according to economic freedom. The difference was in favor of students who did not work at a job.