Predicting Students’ Adjustment considering Basic Psychological Needs and Achievement Goals

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between basic psychological needs and achievement goals and students' adjustment. The research method was correlation, and the study’s population included all students of Kharzmi University. The sample consisted of 200 students (i.e., 100 females and 100 males) who were selected through convenience sampling method. The instrument included Basic Psychological Needs scale (Guardia, Deci & Ryan, 2000), Midgley’s Goal Orientations scale (GOS) (1998) and Farahbkhsh’s College Adjustment scale (CAS). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression. The result showed that there were significant positive relationships between the psychological needs, autonomy, competence and social, academic, emotional adjustment and self-discovery. Moreover, there were significant positive relationships between mastery goal achievement, social, academic and emotional adjustment, attachment to the field of study or the university and self-discovery. In addition, there was a positive relationship between approach-performance achievement and attachment to the field and the university. The results also showed that none of the dimensions of psychological needs and achievement goals could explain the students’ adjustment.