Motivation and Self-Esteem Among University Teachers of Rawalpindi and Islamabad: A Gender-Based Comparative Study

Abstract

This study looked at motivation and self-esteem among university teachers and compared how male and female teachers experience these two factors. A quantitative, descriptive survey design was used. The population of the study consisted of university teachers working in social sciences departments in public and private universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. From this population, a sample of 80 teachers was selected, made up of 40 male and 40 female teachers drawn from four universities. Data were collected using two questionnaires developed by the researchers, one measuring motivation and the other measuring self-esteem. Both instruments were reviewed by experts and piloted on a small group before the main study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests. Overall, university teachers reported a fairly good level of motivation and self-esteem. However, male teachers scored higher than female teachers on both variables, and the differences were statistically significant, t(78) = 4.45, p < .001 for motivation, and t(78) = 10.56, p < .001 for self-esteem. These results suggest that institutional support, fair treatment, professional recognition, and gender-sensitive policies could help raise motivation and self-esteem among university teachers, particularly female teachers. The study offers practical evidence for university leaders and policymakers who want to strengthen faculty well-being and professional commitment.