Achievement motivation and self-efficacy in relation to adjustment among university students

Problem statement: University students’ adjustment to the campus environment is regarded as an important factor in predicting university outcomes. Studies have shown that students who do not adjust themselves well, have left the university even before graduation. Approach: A study was conducted to examine some psychological characteristics of university students which may have bearing on students’ adjustment in university environment. How students adjust themselves especially in the initial years at university may have impact on how successful they will be in tertiary education. An on line survey was conducted on 178 students from junior to senior students enrolled in education courses in a university in Malaysia. Achievement motivation, self-efficacy and student adjustment were measured using questionnaires available on-line. Results: The results showed that overall the students’ level of adjustment was moderate (M = 5.05, SD = 0.31) suggesting that they are facing some problems in adjusting to the campus environment. The senior students were better adjusted (M = 5.12, SD = 0.32) compared to the junior students (M = 4.95, SD = 0.27), t(177) = -3.66, p = 0.001). Achievement motivation and self-efficacy range from moderate (M = 3.17, SD = 0.43) to high levels (M = 5.15, SD = 0.78) indicating that they have the potentials to succeed. The three variables namely adjustment, achievement motivation and self-efficacy were found to be correlated positively with one another. Conclusion: The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of teaching and learning in higher education. Recommendations include providing the relevant courses and counseling sessions especially for the first year students.

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