The Effect of Memory Bias Modification on Academic Frustration and Achievement Motivation of University Students

This paper explores the influence of memory bias on university students’ level of academic frustration and achievement motivation, highlighting the critical interplay between cognitive-emotional processes and educational outcomes. Memory bias—a tendency to recall information aligned with one's emotional state—can distort self-assessments of academic ability and hinder motivation. Memory Bias Modification (MBM), a cognitive intervention aimed at correcting such distortions, has emerged as a promising tool to alleviate academic frustration and enhance motivation. Drawing on empirical research and theoretical models, we investigate how memory bias functions within academic settings and evaluate the effectiveness of MBM in promoting resilience, reducing negative emotional patterns, and supporting students’ intrinsic drive for achievement. A quasi-experimental research design (experimental- control group) was used on a research sample consists of 64 first year university students divided into two groups and applied three questionnaires in pre- post intervention measurements. The data analysis indicated the effectiveness of memory bias modification intervention in modifying negative memory bias and reducing the levels of academic frustration and enhancing the levels of achievement motivation.