Motivation for Summer Novice Ordination at Wat Pak Bor, Bangkok

Abstract

Background and Aims: The bulk of Thai society is acknowledged as being Buddhist, and Buddhists of all ages have long been influenced by the ideas and precepts of Buddhism. The purpose of summer novice ordination is to shape young people into good individuals who exhibit desirable behavior in line with the cultural values of Buddhism. Thus, this study aimed to (1) develop a motivation scale for summer novice ordination at Wat Pak Bor, Bangkok, and (2) compare the motivation for summer novice ordination at Wat Pak Bor, Bangkok among students with different experiences in summer novice ordination.

Methodology: In this quantitative study, data was collected using a 28-item, 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The sample for this study included students who participated in the 51st Summer Ordination Project in 2024 at Wat Pak Bor, Bangkok. The minimum sample size calculated using the G*Power 3.1.9.7 program was 118 participants, based on an effect size of 0.50 and a power (1- β err prob) of 0.85, stratified by ordination experiences. To counteract potential data loss, the actual data collection was extended to 137 participants. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, and inferential statistics through the use of the independent samples t-test.

Results: The findings showed that (1) The motivation scale for the summer novice ordination at Wat Pak Bor, Bangkok, had an item-objective congruence (IOC) index of 0.67 to 1.00 The internal consistency reliability of the scale yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.86 The item-total correlations were between 0.20 and 0.71. (2) Students with different experiences in summer novice ordination showed significantly different motivations for the summer novice ordination at the 0.05 level (t=-2.50, sig= .01). The group with previous ordination experience had a higher mean score of 3.92 and a standard deviation of 0.48, compared to the group with no ordination experience, which had a mean score of 3.70 and a standard deviation of 0.51.

Conclusion: The research discovered that the Wat Pak Bor, Bangkok, summer novice ordination motivation scale was valid and dependable, with an IOC index ranging from 0.67 to 1.00 and a Cronbach's alpha of 0.86. Furthermore, motivation scores were significantly higher for students who had previously experienced ordination than for those who had not (mean scores of 3.92 vs. 3.70, respectively, p = 0.01).