Adolescents’ perceptions of contextual factors: Links with intrinsic motivation and academic achievement

Abstract

This study evaluated how contextual factors contribute to adolescents’ intrinsic motivation and academic achievement and whether their perceived competence and achievement goals explain these links. Romanian adolescents (N = 458, Mage = 13.19 years) reported on contextual factors (parenting strategies and teacher support/fairness, Time 1), perceived competence and achievement goals (Time 2), and intrinsic motivation (Time 3). The adolescents’ final grades were also collected at Time 3. SEM analysis indicated that adolescents’ perceptions of teacher support/fairness have a unique contribution to intrinsic motivation. Findings suggested an indirect impact of the contextual factors and nuanced pathways to adolescents’ motivation and achievement. Adolescents experiencing greater teacher support/fairness reported higher perceived competence and showed greater mastery goals, which in turn were associated with intrinsic motivation. Perceived competence partially mediated the relations between adolescents’ perceptions of teachers’ supportive/fair behaviors and achievement, whereas mastery goals mediated the link between adolescents’ perceptions of parental rejection and their intrinsic motivation. Findings underscore the importance of perceived competence and achievement goals as explanatory mechanisms. They also suggest that parents and teachers supporting adolescents to enhance their perceived competence could be one way to increase adolescents’ mastery goals and, consequently, their intrinsic motivation and achievement.