Topics > Academic Motivation

Common Questions

Motivation can either come from outside the student (extrinsic) or from within the student (intrinsic).  For example, a student who is extrinsically motivated may study hard for a test for a trip to the toy store and the student who is intrinsically motivated will study as a result of his desire to learn to new information.  Although you may have to initially motivate a student extrinsically, eventually it will become intrinsic if paired with recognition for work efforts and achievement. 

Why would I seek professional help?

It is important to understand that a lack of motivation is usually a result of a culmination of various factors.  Motivation problems may result from the child’s desire for attention from parents/peers, an undiagnosed learning disability, and/or emotional issues.  However, it is impossible to know without a professional assessment the causes of the lack of motivation and even still, those results may differ from one provider to the next. 

How will a behavioral assessment help me with my child’s lack of motivation?

Most parents when asked to comment on their past interventions successfulness, will state that it “worked at first, but after a week was no longer effective.”  A thorough behavioral assessment probably would have prevented these failures, for the exact function of the behavior as well as the variables in the environment that maintain the behavior could be determined.  Behavior analysts seek to understand only those environmental variables, which can be observed, measured, and manipulated.  In other words, their aim is not to understand the chemical imbalances causing the child’s motivation issues, but rather what outside variables influence the behavior.  Taking into account the child's learning history and preferences, analysts will devise a plan to help make learning interesting again for your child and spark his/her motivation to succeed.