Amotivation and Academic Engagement in Western Romanian University Students: A Conditional Self-Regulation Model with
Alina Roman1,2, Horațiu Catalano1, Karla Barth3
1Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, 400029 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Brain Sciences
|March 27, 2026
Summary
Amotivation directly impacts academic engagement, but this relationship is shaped by perceived performance control. Control beliefs influence how self-regulation processes activate, affecting student success in higher education.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Higher Education Studies
- Self-Regulation Theory
Background:
- Academic engagement is crucial for student success and persistence.
- The influence of amotivation on engagement requires further investigation within self-regulation frameworks.
- Understanding motivational deficits is key to supporting academic adaptation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine a conditional self-regulation model linking amotivation to academic engagement.
- To investigate the mediating roles of forethought and self-reflection.
- To explore the moderating effect of perceived performance control on these pathways.
Main Methods:
- A moderated parallel mediation model was used.
- Data from 530 university students in Western Romania were analyzed.
- PROCESS Model 59 was employed to test the proposed relationships.
Main Results:
- Amotivation showed a direct association with academic engagement, irrespective of performance control levels.
- Perceived performance control moderated the link between amotivation and forethought.
- Self-reflection exhibited conditional indirect effects contingent on perceived control.
Conclusions:
- Motivational deficits operate within a context-sensitive regulatory system.
- Control beliefs significantly influence the activation of self-regulatory processes.
- Perceived performance control is vital in students' self-regulation for academic adaptation.
Keywords:
academic adaptationacademic engagementamotivationconditional effectsperceived performance controlself-regulationuniversity studentsMore Related Videos
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