Exploring the Moderating Role of Test Anxiety on the Relationship Between Motivational Beliefs and Self-Regulated Learning Strategies among University Students

Abstract

This study examines the moderating effect of test anxiety on the 
relationship between motivational beliefs and self-regulated learning 
(SRL) strategies among university students. Prior research at Universiti 
Teknologi MARA Kelantan Branch demonstrated a strong positive 
correlation between motivational beliefs and SRL strategies but 
identified significant test anxiety levels as a possible disruptor (Hatta et 
al., 2024). Using a sample of 160 undergraduates, this study employs 
hierarchical regression analyses to test how test anxiety influences the 
motivation and SRL relationship. The hierarchical regression results 
show that higher motivational beliefs strongly promote the use of self
regulated SRL strategies, while test anxiety negatively affects these 
strategies. Importantly, when test anxiety is higher, motivational beliefs 
play an even more crucial role in enhancing and sustaining students’ 
engagement in SRL, highlighting a complex interaction between emotion 
and motivation in learning. This highlights the necessity of addressing 
emotional factors alongside motivation in educational interventions to 
optimize learning outcomes.