First steps toward a questionnaire of motivational awareness: preliminary development and psychometric examination

Across two studies, we conducted a preliminary psychometric examination of the newly developed Motivational Awareness Questionnaire (MAQ). Motivational awareness is the ability to consciously differentiate, verbalize, and analyze one's own motivational states and use this knowledge for deliberate motivation and behavior regulation. Study 1 evaluated the initial MAQ in 142 students. The proposed five-factor structure was tested and not confirmed, necessitating exploratory revisions. Study 2 (N = 102) reassessed a revised three-factor version and included ambulatory assessment data capturing motivational states. Although the Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis did not support the proposed three-factor structure (poor model fit), the subscales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistencies. Expected associations with emotional awareness and mindfulness provided initial evidence of convergent associations. Higher differentiation of motivation was associated with less motivational interference and with lower levels of negative affect. In conclusion, the MAQ represents a promising first attempt at measuring motivational awareness, but future research with larger samples is needed to refine the factor structure and establish its validity.