The relationship between autonomy, relatedness, and students' transformative experience: a cross-cultural study

TL;DR

This study explores how autonomy and relatedness influence transformative learning experiences in students from the U.S. and Kuwait.

Contribution

The study introduces cross-cultural insights into how autonomy and relatedness support predict transformative experiences.

Findings

Perceived autonomy and relatedness support significantly predict transformative experience across cultures.

Kuwaiti students require higher relatedness support for autonomy to impact transformative experience.

U.S. students need baseline autonomy support for relatedness to influence transformative experience.

Abstract

Transformative experience is a deep-engagement outcome that involves using curricular content to see and experience the world in meaningful new ways in one's everyday life. Researcher have investigated individual factors predictive of transformative experience. We built on this research by investigating perceived autonomy and relatedness support as potential predictors of transformative experience and considering cross-cultural effects. Pre-service teachers from both the United States and Kuwait comprised the sample (n = 353). Perceived autonomy and relatedness support, the interaction between perceived autonomy and relatedness support, and the three-way interaction between perceived autonomy support, perceived relatedness support, and nationality were significant predictors of transformative experience controlling for students' year in school and gender. Moderation analyses revealed that a baseline level of perceived relatedness support was needed for the relationship between perceived autonomy support and transformative experience to manifest and this baseline was higher for Kuwaiti students. Further, for U.S. but not Kuwaiti students, a baseline level of perceived autonomy support was needed for the relationship between perceived relatedness support and transformative experience to manifest. Overall, perceived autonomy and relatedness support were important predictors of transformative experience for both nationalities, but perceived autonomy support was relatively more important for U.S. students and perceived relatedness support for Kuwaiti students.

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