Comparing of Academic Self-efficacy in Different Profiles of Student’s Motivation: A Person-Centered Analysis

Different factors such as motivation and self-efficacy can affect the students learning activity. Therefore, educational research has shown that motivation is one of the essential factors for the improvement of student performances. Using a person-oriented approach, the present study aimed to determine the motivational profiles (clusters) of students and to compare their academic self-efficacy considering these profiles. This study was conducted with a comparative-descriptive method. The participants were 211 high school students eighth and ninth grade who completed the Achievement Goal Questionnaire and Academic self-efficacy Questionnaire. The criterion for academic achievement was students’ total average in the Last year. The methods of cluster analysis and multiple analysis of variances were used for data analysis using SPSS software. Cluster analysis revealed four motivational profiles for the students: 12/7% of the subjects were placed in the without motivation cluster, 35/2% were placed in the triple motivation cluster, 19/6% were placed in the mastery goal orientation- performance goal orientation, and 38% were placed in multiple motivation cluster. The academic self-efficacy of without motivation cluster was lower than the other clusters (p<0.001). The findings of this study will help those involved in the field of education make effective attempts by planning helpful educational program, so promote the students’ learning motivations, during the academic years.