The Effect of Goal Orientation on Academic Achievement with the Mediating Role of Goal Regulation and Academic Beliefs in Upper Secondary Students

This study aimed to investigate the effect of goal orientation on academic achievement among upper secondary students, with the mediating roles of goal regulation and academic beliefs. A descriptive correlational design was employed, involving a sample of 386 upper secondary school students in Tehran selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie sampling table. Data were collected using standard instruments: the Achievement Goal Questionnaire (Elliot & McGregor, 2001), the Goal Regulation Scale (Freund & Baltes, 2002), and the Academic Beliefs Questionnaire (Schunk & Pajares, 2001). Academic achievement was measured using GPA. Data analysis included Pearson correlation using SPSS-27 and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS-21 to test the mediating model and assess model fit through multiple fit indices. Results showed that mastery goal orientation had a significant direct effect on academic achievement (β = 0.23, p = .004), as well as indirect effects through both goal regulation (β = 0.35, p < .001) and academic beliefs (β = 0.38, p < .001), with a total effect of β = 0.50. Performance goal orientation negatively predicted academic achievement both directly (β = –0.14, p = .021) and indirectly via academic beliefs (β = –0.15, p = .036). The SEM model demonstrated good fit indices (χ²/df = 2.01, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.051), confirming the hypothesized mediation model. The findings underscore the importance of mastery-oriented goals and adaptive belief systems in enhancing academic performance. Goal regulation and academic beliefs play significant mediating roles, suggesting that interventions targeting these psychological constructs can promote academic success in high school students. Educational strategies should focus on fostering self-regulatory skills and positive academic beliefs to maximize goal-driven learning outcomes.