Six hypotheses were generated to study the motivation of women participants and non-participants in continuing education, and to examine the relationship of the motivation of participants to their satisfaction and other selected educational variables. Four groups of randomly selected women (165) represented different stages in the adoption process as postulated by Rogers. Data on personal, social, educational, psychological, and life characteristics of the women were collected through a questionnaire. The variables--major satisfactions for participation in continuing education, type of program undertaken, scores on the Buhler Life Goals Inventory, socio-economic status, level of verbal ability, and level of formal education--were used. The latter three were control variables. The techniques of analysis included the use of percentages, analysis of variance, and chi square. Women who did not participate in continuing education scored higher on two of the three factors related to the self-limiting adaptation motivational tendency. No significant differences occurred in the factors comprising the creative expansion, upholding the internal order, and need-satisfaction motivational tendencies. (Author/NL)