The article “Self-regulation of motivation in university students – a longitudinal study of interindividual differences and intraindividual trajectories” by Olena Kryshko, Michael Becker, Jens Fleischer, and Detlev Leutner examines how motivational regulation develops over time and whether sociodemographic, cognitive, or personality-related factors predict its initial level and development. As a central component of self-regulated learning, motivational regulation was assessed through self-efficacy for motivational regulation and frequency of use of different motivational regulation strategies. The data stem from a longitudinal study with students from Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen, covering several semesters before and during pandemic-related campus closures.

The results show that self-efficacy remained largely stable on average, while a significant interindividual variability emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, no pandemic-related effects regarding strategy use were observed; however, divergent developmental trends appeared with respect to specific strategies. Furthermore, these constructs were differentially predicted by cognitive ability, high school GPA, personality traits (especially conscientiousness), gender, and university generational status.

This study provides new insights into the complexity of motivational regulation processes affected by both individual characteristics and contextual factors. The findings may help support specific groups of students in further developing their motivational regulation competencies.

To the article: Article in Learning and Individual Differences