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Can Goal-Setting Improve Hospital Volunteers’ Intrinsic Motivation?, Genesis Orellana

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

With the objective of increasing volunteer retention, hospital administrators are interested in fostering volunteers’ motivation to continue working in the departments in which they have been placed. However, there is limited research on hospital volunteers’ motivation and whether setting goals affect their motivation. The purpose of my research was to examine whether hospital volunteers who set personal goals would increase their intrinsic motivation and tenure at a particular site. My research questions were: “Is there an effect on intrinsic motivation from a goal-setting intervention in hospital volunteers?” and “Will a goal-setting intervention help hospital volunteers set stronger goals?” Eight volunteer …