Achievement Goal Orientation as a Moderator of Self-Determined Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning: A Study of Kuwaiti EFL Students Using Structural Equation Modeling

Achievement goal orientation significantly impacts both the motivation and self-regulated learning of students. Learners who adopt mastery goals concentrate on personal development, thereby improving their self-regulation (Çetinkalp & Türksoy, 2011; Wangid, 2022). Conversely, performance goals may induce anxiety and impede motivation and self-regulation [Hamim & Rahmawati, 2022). This study investigates the moderating role of achievement goal orientation in the relationship between self-determined motivation and self-regulated learning among Kuwaiti students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Using a quantitative research design, survey data were collected from (431) EFL students enrolled in Kuwait Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships and the moderation effect. The results show that achievement goal orientation significantly predicts self-regulated learning (? = 0.370, p < 0.01) and self-determined motivation (? = 0.500, p < 0.01). Among goal orientations, mastery-approach goals (? = 0.261, p < 0.001) and performance-avoidance goals (? = 0.123, p < 0.05) positively predict self-regulated learning, while mastery-avoidance and performance-approach goals do not (p > 0.05). Strong correlations are found between self-determined motivation and its components, including competence (r = 0.870), autonomy (r = 0.863), and relatedness (r = 0.777). Additionally, self-determined motivation and self-regulated learning are moderately correlated (r = 0.370, p < 0.01), indicating that motivated learners are more likely to adopt better regularity practices. Interaction analysis shows that high achievement goal orientation enhances the relationship between self-regulated motivation and self-regulated learning. These results underscore the importance of fostering mastery-oriented goals in EFL settings to maximize students' self-regulated learning. Received: 4 March 2025 / Accepted: 28 April 2025 / Published: 06 May 2025