RETURN TO STUDY AS MATURE STUDENTS: SINGLE AND MARRIED MOTHERS′ MOTIVES

Explores motives for return to study amongst a sample of single and married mothers who had graduated from four Australian universities as mature students, using a modified version of Maslin′s Continuing Education Women′s Motive Questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis yielded five motive factors which were somewhat different from those found in two American samples: self‐evaluation/autonomy and vocational/family advancement were the most strongly endorsed motives. Scales derived from the factors were tested for their relationship to entry‐to‐study variables. All variables related significantly to one or more scales with previous educational experience the best predictor of motivation.