Associations between Depression, Anxiety, Fatigue, and Learning Motivating Factors in e-Learning-Based Computer...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Mental Health
• E-learning

Background:

• COVID-19 quarantines accelerated e-learning adoption.
• This shift correlated with increased anxiety, depression, and fatigue, negatively impacting e-learning motivation.
• Understanding e-learning motivators is crucial for mental well-being and effective learning, particularly in technical fields like computer programming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between e-learning motivating factors and mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, fatigue).
• To identify specific factors influencing motivation and mental health in general e-learners and computer programming e-learners.
• To explore the predictive role of challenging goals and mental fatigue on depression and anxiety.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Learning Motivating Factors Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20 (MFI-20).
• Surveyed 444 e-learners, including 189 specializing in computer programming.
• Employed statistical analysis to examine variations across mental health categories and predictive relationships.

Main Results:

• Individual attitude, challenging goals, clear direction, social pressure, and competition significantly correlated with depression, anxiety, and fatigue levels.
• In computer programming e-learners, challenging goals predicted reduced anxiety and depression, while clear direction also predicted reduced depression.
• Challenging goals and punishment predicted diminished mental fatigue; mental fatigue predicted increased depression and anxiety across both groups.

Conclusions:

• E-learning motivation factors significantly influence mental health outcomes.
• Setting challenging goals and providing clear direction are key strategies to enhance e-learning motivation and mitigate negative mental health effects.
• Addressing mental fatigue is critical, as it directly predicts increased depression and anxiety in e-learning environments.