Do motivational regulation strategies contribute to university students' academic success?

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Authors

Based on the framework of self-regulated learning, we conducted a cross-sectional and a longitudinal study with university undergraduates (N1 = 249; N2 = 210) to examine the associations of using different motivational regulation strategies and two important aspects of academic success: academic performance and dropout intention. According to the Motivational Regulation Model of Schwinger and Stiensmeier-Pelster (2012), we assumed that motivational regulation strategies will positively predict academic performance and negatively predict dropout intention via increased academic effort. Results of both studies largely supported our assumptions. Furthermore, the overall score of motivational regulation strategies and most specific strategies significantly predicted both examined aspects of academic success after controlling for high school GPA as their major traditional predictor. Thus, our findings replicate and extend previous research on the relevance of motivational regulation strategies in the context of higher education, by highlighting their significant contributions to improving academic performance and reducing dropout intention.

Original languageEnglish
Article number101912
JournalLearning and Individual Differences
Volume82
Number of pages11
ISSN1041-6080
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.08.2020
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

The preparation of this paper was partially supported by grants LE 645/14-1 and LE 645/15-1 from the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the research group “Academic Learning and Study Success in the Entry Phase of Science and Technology Study Programs” (ALSTER; FOR 2242).

    Research areas

  • Academic performance, Academic success, Dropout intention, Motivational regulation strategies, Self-regulated learning
  • Psychology
  • Educational science