A structural model to explain the relationship between classroom environment perception and academic adjustment in female students based on the mediating role of adaptive and non-adaptive motivation structure

This study investigated the relationship between perception of the classroom environment and academic adjustment in female students using structural equation modeling (SEM) and based on the mediating role of motivational adaptive and non-adaptive structure. To this aim, 450 female high school students were selected as the sample in Sari, Iran, in the academic year 2019-20. The samples were selected through multi-stage randomized cluster sampling from two districts of the Education Office in Sari.  Gentry and Owen's Student Perceptions of Classroom Environment Scale (SPCES) and Baker and Siryk's Academic Adjustment Questionnaire (AAQ) were completed by the students. The purpose was to present a structural model using structural equation modeling. The results showed that the perception of the classroom environment could predict academic adjustment in students through the mediation of adaptive and non-adaptive motivational structures. Moreover, the results of Pearson's correlation coefficient showed that the perception of classroom environment had a positive and significant relationship with academic adjustment. According to the obtained results, in order to enhance academic adjustment, it is recommended that the teachers offer the course materials in a challenging manner, consider the role of the learner in the classroom, and present the materials in an attractive way to keep the learners motivated and willing to learn. Furthermore, selecting adaptive goals can help to increase the adaptability of learners.