The mediating role of academic motivation in the relationship between research competency and research difficulty among higher education students

This study examines the relationship between students’ research skills and the challenges they perceive while researching, along with the intervening role of academic motivation. The theoretical basis for this study is based on Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, under which behavior results from the interaction of personal, behavioral, and environmental. The study aimed to determine the effect of students’ competence and motivation on how they respond to the challenges facing research. The method of research used was primarily quantitative, which targeted students from third and fourth years enrolled in Thesis 1 and 2 of Rizal Technological University, as the data used in this research were collected using a structured self-questionnaire. Data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and mediation analysis. The results indicated research competence to positively contribute to academic motivation, while both had a significant diminishing effect on the students’ definition of research difficulties. In this way, academic motivation acts as a partial mediator in the linkage between competent skills and perceived challenges, suggesting that motivational factors are key in translating these skills towards productive research behavior. The model offered moderate explanations for the situation and fit into the theoretical foundations of SCT. This study adds to the existing literature by incorporating a triadic framework made up of competence, motivation, and perceived challenges to give practical recommendations for improving research education through initiatives focusing on developing both technical and motivational skills among students.