2641 - THE MOTIVATIONAL SELF-REGULATION AND ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENT IN STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Session: P_D03S005 - Poster Session 5 - Division 3
AUTHORS:
Silva Natalia (University of Santiago de Compostela ~ Santiago de Compostela ~ Spain) , Martínez-López Zeltia (Institute of Psychology (IPsiUS), University of Santiago de Compostela ~ Santiago de Compostela ~ Spain) , Mayo Pais María Emma (Institute of Psychology (IPsiUS), University of Santiago de Compostela ~ Santiago de Compostela ~ Spain) , Real José Eulogio (Department of Social, Basic and Methodological Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela ~ Santiago de Compostela ~ Spain) , Tinajero Vacas Carolina (Institute of Psychology (IPsiUS), University of Santiago de Compostela ~ Santiago de Compostela ~ Spain)
Abstract text:
Academic adjustment is an important component of students' educational experience, encompassing satisfaction with school, perceived success, and academic motivation, and influencing achievement and well-being. Motivational self-regulation strategies —mastery self-talk, personally referred performance self-talk, self-enhancing self-talk, self-defeating self-talk, work-avoidance self-talk, self-efficacy enhancement, self-consequating, cost appraisal, enhancement of personal significance, and enhancement of situational interest— may contribute to this process. Examining the relationship between these constructs might be of particular importance for students with special educational needs (SEN), who often face challenges that can affect adaptation and long-term outcomes. This study analysed the association between motivational self-regulation strategies and academic adjustment in adolescents with SEN. Participants were 236 secondary school students (44.5% girls; Mage = 13.7; SDage = 1.3), enrolled in different compulsory secondary education grades (32.6% in 1st, 35.6% in 2nd, 14.8% in 3rd, and 16.9% in 4th). Data were collected using diverse subscales of the Scale of Learning Motivational Strategies - Secondary and of the Spanish version of the Motivational Regulation Survey and various items from the academic adjustment subscale of the Spanish version of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). A regression analysis was conducted to test the effect of ten motivational self-regulation strategies on academic adjustment, controlling for sex and grade level. Results showed that self-efficacy enhancement (β = .297, p ≤ .001) and cost appraisal (β = .160, p ≤ .05) were positively associated with academic adjustment, whereas work-avoidance self-talk (β = -.234, p ≤ .001) was negatively associated. The model explained 24.7% of the variance (F (5, 212) = 15.238, p ≤ .001). These findings indicate that motivational self-regulation contributes to academic adjustment among adolescents with SEN and offer valuable insights for designing targeted interventions that foster engagement, resilience, and adaptive learning behaviours in inclusive contexts.