Controlled motivation and physics achievement: a serial mediation analysis through self-efficacy and learning strategies in Chinese high school students

These findings suggest that interventions targeting self-efficacy enhancement and learning strategy instruction could potentially buffer against the detrimental correlates of external pressure in high-stakes educational contexts. The research contributes to theoretical understanding by demonstrating empirical support for an integrated framework combining self-determination theory, social cognitive theory, and self-regulated learning theory in explaining motivation-achievement relationships.