Financial Status and Its Influence on the Academic Motivation of Senior High School Students

This study addresses a research gap in understanding the impact of financial status on academic motivation among senior high school students. While financial status is widely studied for its effects on academic performance, its relationship with academic motivation remains understudied, particularly within the Philippine context. This research aims to clarify this link, using Self-Determination Theory, Expectancy-Value Theory, and Achievement Goal Theory to frame the motivational processes potentially influenced by financial background. Conducted among a stratified random sample of 266 senior high school students at Mindanao Mission Academy, the study employed a quantitative correlational design, utilizing an adapted survey instrument based on Moneva et al. (2020). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and simple linear regression. Results show a weak yet statistically significant positive correlation between financial status and academic motivation (r = 0.178, p < 0.01), though ANOVA indicates no significant motivation differences across financial groups (p > 0.05). These findings imply that while financial stability provides a slight motivational boost, students’ motivation is driven by internal factors more than financial circumstances. Implications underscore the need for support systems that foster intrinsic motivation across socioeconomic backgrounds, and recommendations include developing inclusive, motivation-enhancing programs that prioritize goal setting and self-efficacy.