A cross-sectional study exploring academic motivation among rehabilitation science students under different teaching approaches in China

Chinese-foreign cooperative programs are increasingly important in rehabilitation education in mainland China. This study examined the academic motivation of final-year rehabilitation students and the associated factors, including teaching approach, gender, specific interests, and sleep habits. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted at Changsha Social Work College, including students from both domestic and cooperative programs. Academic motivation was assessed using the Academic Motivation Scale-College version in Chinese. In total, 79 domestic students and 32 cooperative students provided valid responses. A higher proportion of students in the cooperative program reported having specific interests (81.3% vs. 48.1%, χ² = 10.25, p < 0.01), whereas a lower proportion reported regular nap habits (53.1% vs. 75.9%, χ² = 5.58, p < 0.05) compared with students in the domestic program. Cooperative students had higher Self-Determined Index (SDI) scores than domestic students (6.38 ± 4.84 vs. 3.34 ± 4.43, T = 3.18, p < 0.01). Students with specific interests also had higher SDI scores (5.60 ± 4.74 vs. 2.33 ± 4.07, T = 3.81, p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the cooperative program (B = 2.11, 95% CI: 0.16 to 4.11, p < 0.05) and having specific interests (B = 2.69, 95% CI: 0.90 to 4.49, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with higher academic motivation. Gender, BMI, and sleep habits were not significantly associated with SDI scores.