Simple and Multiple Relationship between Self-efficacy, Achievement Goals, and Achievement Motivation in Predicting Academic Achievement among Students of Semnan University of Medical Sciences

Academic performance in each society reflects the educational system’s success in targeting and paying attention to meet individual needs. Hence, this study aimed to determine the relationship between self-efficacy, achievement goals, and achievement motivation with academic achievement. In this correlational study, 400 students were selected through stratified sampling method in 2013 academic year. Participants completed achievement motivation questionnaire, Elliot and McGregor’s achievement goals questionnaire and Schwarzer and Jerusalem’s general self-efficacy questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression. Results showed that among the investigated variables, self-efficacy and mastery-oriented achievement goals had a significant role in explaining the variance in academic achievement, and could explain totally 41% of the variance in academic achievement. Beta coefficients obtained were (β=0.533 and p=0.0001) and (β=0.223 and p=0.0001) for self-efficacy and mastery-oriented achievement goals respectively. In general, the results of this study showed that the self-efficacy and mastery-oriented achievement goals have a significant relationship in explaining academic achievement and they can be used for students’ further progress.