Achievement goals and academic success: self-regulation strategies for improved retention

Abstract

This study investigated the extent to which achievement goal orientations and cognitive learning strategies predict reading comprehension performance among undergraduate students in the US. A total of 138 participants were recruited from two online platforms: SONAR (Ball State University research pool) and Prolific (diverse pool of research participants from various demographic backgrounds). Participants completed a series of tasks including two GRE-adapted reading comprehension passages, 24 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), the 3×2 Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) scale, and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). The study focused on approach-oriented achievement goals (task-approach, self-approach) and four cognitive learning strategies: rehearsal, elaboration, organization, and critical thinking. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to assess the unique variance in test performance explained by achievement goals (Block 1) and additional variance explained by cognitive strategies (Block 2) in test performance. Results showed that Block 1 was statistically significant, F(4,130) = 4.84, p = .001, accounting for 13% of the variance in reading comprehension scores (R² = .130). Task-approach goals emerged as a significant positive predictor of test performance (β = .393, p = .004), while self-approach goals approached significance (β = .267, p = .058). Task- and self-avoidance goals were not significant predictors. In Block 2, the inclusion of cognitive strategies did not significantly improve the model, ΔR² = .027, p = .403. Findings suggest that achievement motivation, particularly task-focused goals, plays an influential role in short-term academic performance. These results underscore the importance of fostering mastery-oriented goals in educational settings to enhance student performance and retention. While cognitive strategies are essential for learning, their effectiveness may be limited if students have not been properly taught to use them or have not received consistent feedback.