Self-regulation of academic motivation : advances in structure and measurement

Self-regulation of academic motivation is an under-explored aspect of self-regulation. This paper examines the structure of Self-Regulated Academic Motivation (SRAM) in the context of an overall model of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) that also includes aspects of the self-regulation of academic cognition. In this study we first delineate key components of SRAM i.e., Mastery Self Talk, Relevance Enhancement, Situational Interest Enhancement, Performance Relative Ability Self Talk, Performance Extrinsic Self-Talk, Self Consequences and Environmental Structuring. We then test a series of Confirmatory Factor Analysis models measuring the latent components of SRAM with data from approximately 400 first year university students. Results indicate that the measure of SRAM was a valid measure of both the first and higher-order structure of SRAM, as well as being invariant across sex groups. Fit indices for all models were in excess of criterion values. We conclude that the theoretical structure we propose for SRAM is accurately operationalised by our measure with this sample. Thus, the study provides a basis upon which further testing of the theoretical SRAM model and the measure itself may be developed