Role of self-regulated learning and self-efficacy in predicting academic results of elementary school students in Russia

Educational Studies. 2026. Vol. 52. No. 3. P. 271–291.

Akhmedjanova D.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) and self-efficacy (SE) relate to the improvement of students’ academic outcomes in diverse cultural contexts. In Russia, the research on SRL is well established; however, most of the studies are focused on the university and middle/high school students. The research on SRL and self-efficacy in elementary schools is rather scarce. The novelty of this paper is a study on how SRL and self-efficacy predict scores in mathematics and reading in elementary students relying on survey research design. The data from fourth grade students (n = 2,158) were analysed using parametric tests and multigroup structural equation modelling. Results indicated that the effect of combined SRL and SE accounted for 28% of variance in math scores and 18% of variance in reading scores. The indirect effect of SRL through SE contributed to math scores (36% of variance) and reading scores (47% of variance). Analyses by gender and location revealed a small yet negative direct effect of SRL on students’ math and reading scores. In both models, SE mediated the effects of SRL on academic performance by explaining around 35% (math) and 32% (reading) of variances in students’ scores, which emphasizes the development of students’ self-efficacy in math and reading.

Keywords: self-efficacy, structural equation modeling (SEM), self-regulated learning, elementary school, academic achievement

Publication based on the results of: Longitudinal study of factors influencing school failure (2023)