The mediating role of academic engagement in the relationship between self- regulation and self-efficacy with academic performance

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between selfregulation, self-efficacy and academic performance with the intervention of academic engagement. Methodology: The population of the study consisted of all students at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in the educational year of 2019-2020. The sample was composed of 367 (141male, 226 female) students. The sampling procedure was done based on the multi-level sampling. The questionnaires contained items on academic engagement, academic self -efficacy and self –regulation questionnaire as well as some basic socio-demographics. In addition, descriptive statistics, correlation and path analysis was used in the assessment of the direct and mediating effects. Results: The results of path analysis indicated that the first observed model did not show good fit indexes. However, the revised model in which some modifications were made, such as removing the path from academic engagement to academic performance, indicated great fit indexes. Based on the revised model, academic engagement completely mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and self-regulation. Moreover, academic engagement and self-regulation partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance. The indirect path from academic engagement to academic achievement mediated by self-regulation was also statistically significant. Self-regulation completely mediates the relationship between academic engagement and academic performance.