Social Context, Self-perceptions and Student Engagement: A SEM investigation of the self-system model of motivational development (SSMMD)

Abstract

Introduction. The present study aimed to test a theoretically-based model (the self-system model of motivational development) including at the same time the extent to which the social context provides structure, warmth and autonomy support, the students’ perceived autonomy, relatedness and competence, and behavioral, cognitive and emotional student engagement.Method. Three hundred and thirty one participants attending the last year at the university completed a self-reported questionnaire tapping the targeted variables. SEM analyses were used to test our hypotheses.Results. Results revealed that each dimension of the social context was associated with the corresponding self-perception variables which, in turn, predicted greater behavioral, cognitive and emotional engagement. Cognitive engagement was directly predicted by the three self-perception variables, and indirectly by an autonomy supportive social context. Structured social context was indirectly associated, through perceived competence, with behavioral and emotional engagement.Discussion and Conclusion. Two underlying assumptions of the SSMMD (and more broadly of the SDT) were supported by the results of this study - the three dimensions of social context have specific effects on self-perception variables and these perceptions are mediators of the relationship between context and student engagement - one was not - the three self-perception variables do not have a direct impact on the dimensions of student engagement.