The relationship of student academic motivation and perceived self-efficacy with academic performance in distance learning university students

The aim of the present research was to analyze the extent to which motives for students taking distance learning university courses and perceptions of academic self-efficacy influence achieved outcomes. To this end, multigroup structural equation models were estimated using data obtained by a questionnaire administered to a sample of 8,655 university students during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 academic years. Results show that extrinsic motivation was negatively related to evaluation and success rates, whilst intrinsic motivation did not exert any type of influence. The only factor to be positively associated with academic performance was self-efficacy. Universities should consider these results when establishing strategies aimed at increasing students’ feelings of self-efficacy. Such approaches will have a positive impact on student performance and motivation.