Socio-Motivational Relationships, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Academic Achievement of Junior High School Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

This study examines the intricate relationship between socio-motivational factors, academic self-efficacy, and academic achievement among junior high school students. Grounded in Bandura’s Social-Cognitive Theory and Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory, the research explores how relationships with peers and teachers influence students’ academic self-beliefs and outcomes. A total population sample of 332 junior high school students from a public school in Claveria West District, Misamis Oriental, participated in the study. Data were collected using validated instruments: The Relationship and Motivation Scales (REMO-P), The Academic Self-Efficacy Scale for Filipino Junior High School Students (ASES-FJHS), and final grade averages. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the findings revealed that socio-motivational relationships significantly influence academic self-efficacy (β = 0.71, p < .001), while their direct effect on academic achievement was not statistically significant (β = 0.13, p = .065). However, academic self-efficacy strongly predicted academic achievement (β = 0.85, p < .001) and was found to fully mediate the relationship between socio-motivational relationships and academic success, explaining 89.1% of the variance in achievement. The final model demonstrated excellent fit indices (p=.239, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.028), confirming the strength of the mediation pathway. These results underscore the key role of academic self-efficacy as a mediator and highlight the importance of fostering positive socio-motivational relationships to enhance students’ academic confidence and performance.