The causal relation between the mindfulness, internal and external academic motivation by mediated time perspective in Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz’s Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between mindfulness, internal and external academic motivation by mediated time perspective in Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz’s Students. The statistical population were all undergraduate students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. The sample consisted of 300 students who were studying in the academic year of 96-95. Samples were selected by simple random sampling. The Zimbardo and Boyd Time Perspective Questionnaire (1999), the Mindfulness Questionnaire (Bauer et al., 2006) and Hartre's Educational Motivation Questionnaire (1980) were used to measure the variables. The results of the path analysis showed that the mindfulness and future time were involved in predicting external and internal academic motivation, and the present fatalistic was only reciprocally related to external motivation. Results were discussed with respect to theories of motivation, mindfulness and time perspective. Mindfulness directly affects the internal and external motivation and helps improve motivation by improving mindfulness. Accordingly, it is difficult to distinguish relations with the time orientation due to the positive relationships between the two types of internal and external motivation. On the other hand, the prospect of future time orientation and focusing on increasing each motive is appropriate. But in order to improve external motivation, the present fatalistic time orientation must be reduced. In sum, the best prospect of time orientation to improving motivation is future time orientation.