Individual differences in self-regulated learning: Exploring the nexus of motivational beliefs, self-efficacy, and SRL strategies in EFL writing

This study examines the predictive effects of motivational beliefs and self-efficacy on multiple dimensions of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing. Undergraduate students (n = 389) were recruited voluntarily from four universities in mainland China. They were invited to complete a set of questionnaires to measure their motivational beliefs (extrinsic and intrinsic goal orientation, task value, and control of learning belief), self-efficacy (linguistic self-efficacy, performance self-efficacy, and self-regulatory efficacy) and SRL strategies (cognition, metacognition, social behavior, and motivational regulation). Multiple regression analyses revealed that motivational beliefs had significant predictive effects on SRL strategies; among which task value and intrinsic goal orientation were significant predictors of nine sub-factors of SRL strategies. Self-efficacy was a strong predictor of metacognitive, cognitive, and motivational regulation strategies. While linguistic self-efficacy had a significant predictive power on text processing alone, self-regulatory efficacy generated a significant effect on a collection of SRL strategies including knowledge rehearsal, goal-oriented monitoring, idea planning, peer learning, and interest enhancement. Pedagogical implications are also discussed.