Relationships between academic self-efficacy, learning-related emotions, and metacognitive learning strategies with academic performance in medical students: a structural equation model

Abstract

Recognition of the factors affecting the medical students' academic success is one of the most important challenges and concerns in medical schools. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the mediating effects of metacognitive learning strategies and learning-related emotions in the relationship between academic self-efficacy with academic performance in medical students. Methods: The present study was carried out on 279 students of medicine studying at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The students filled out three questionnaires: academic emotions (AEQ), metacognitive learning strategies, and academic self-efficacy questionnaires. The data were analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS3. Results: The results of structural equation modeling revealed that the students' self-efficacy has an impact on their learning-related emotions and metacognitive learning strategies, and these, in turn, affect the students' academic performance. Moreover, learning-related emotions influence the metacognitive learning strategies, which in turn mediate the effect of emotions on academic performance. Discussion: The results of this study revealed that metacognitive strategies and learning-related emotions could play a mediating role in the relationship between students' self-efficacy and academic performance.

Relationship between metacognitive awareness and motivation to learn in medical students

“…We found that mastery approach-oriented students, whose priority is the development of competencies and skills, deeper learning and personal satisfaction, presented higher scores on one of the MAI domains (knowledge about cognition, p = 0.003, median 0.71, IQR 0.23). These findings corroborate the findings in the available literature about metacognition by reinforcing its relationship with better learning strategies, academic performance and academic success [ 9 ].…”

“…It was demonstrated that higher levels of SRL are associated with higher academic achievement, more success in learning clinical skills and better mental health outcomes [ 8 ]. However, few studies have focused on the relationship among the components of SRL in medical students [ 9 ].…”

“…Students who develop metacognitive strategies can plan, monitor and regulate their cognition process. Thus, more efficient study plans, responsibilities and deep learning should be developed [ 9 ]. Recent studies have also shown that metacognitive practices result in better patient care [ 12 ], clinical reasoning [ 13 ], clinical decision making [ 14 ], and a continuous process of lifelong learning, which is essential in medical practice [ 11 , 15 – 17 ].…”

“…Although there is growing interest in SRL, there are few studies that investigate the relationship between its components, especially through multimethod (quantitative and qualitative) analyses [ 8 , 9 ]. Most previous studies show significant associations between metacognition and motivation in junior high students and undergraduates from a psychology course [ 11 , 31 ] using quantitative approaches.…”

Networks and Emotions in Cooperative Work: A Quasi-Experimental Study in University Nursing and Computer Engineering Students

“…On the other hand, and within the relational context, the emotions that arise in university students could predict their academic coping strategies, their willingness to learn [7] and their best performance [8]. In particular, the emotional intelligence of students becomes especially important as they are exposed to challenging interpersonal situations in contexts unknown to them [9].…”