A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF SELF-REGULATED LEARNING AND SELF-EFFICACY: KEY DETERMINANTS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN COLLEGE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30868/ei.v15i01.10087Keywords:
Self-regulated learning, self-efficacy, academic achievement, higher education, systematic review, metacognition, and academic motivationAbstract
This study presents a comprehensive systematic review of the role of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) and Self-Efficacy as primary determinants of academic success in higher education. Through an analysis of more than 120 empirical studies published over the past three decades (1990-2024), this research identifies consistent patterns indicating a positive and significant relationship between these two psychological constructs and various indicators of academic success, including Grade Point Average (GPA), retention, and metacognitive skills. Key findings indicate that self-efficacy serves as both a direct predictor and a strong mediator of academic success, with an average effect size of 0.38 (moderate to large effect). Meanwhile, SRL contributes not only to short-term academic achievement but also to the development of lifelong learning skills. Moderator analysis reveals that these relationships are influenced by cultural context, academic discipline, and learning modality (face-to-face vs. online). This study contributes theoretically by integrating various SRL models and Bandura's self-efficacy theory into a comprehensive conceptual framework. In practice, the review offers recommendations for developing evidence-based interventions to enhance SRL skills and strengthen students' academic self-belief, particularly in the context of higher education in the digital era
References
Abas, I H, and et al. 2023. “Catching Motivation: A Comparative Study between Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and China University Students.” Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics 9 (1): 1–18.
Alegre, A A. 2014. “Academic Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Performance in First-Year University Students.” Journal of Educational Psychology - Propositos y Representaciones 2 (1): 101–20.
Bandura, A. 1997. Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: Freeman.
Bandura, Albert. 1977. “Self-Efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change.” Psychological Review 84 (2): 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191.
Broadbent, Jaclyn, and Paula de Barba. 2023. “Self-Regulated Learning and the Student Experience in Online Higher Education.” In Research Handbook on the Student Experience in Higher Education, 179–90. Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781802204193.00021.
Caprara, G V, and et al. 2008. “Longitudinal Analysis of the Role of Perceived Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning in Academic Continuance and Achievement.” Journal of Educational Psychology 100 (3): 525–34.
Dent, A L, and A C Koenka. 2016. “The Relation between Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Achievement across Childhood and Adolescence: A Meta-Analysis.” Educational Psychology Review 28 (3): 425–74.
Hwang, M H, and et al. 2016. “The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement: A 5-Year Panel Analysis.” Asia-Pacific Education Researcher 25 (1): 89–98.
Joo, Y J, M Bong, and H J Choi. 2000. “Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Internet Self-Efficacy in Web-Based Instruction.” Educational Technology Research and Development 48 (2): 5–17.
Khan, Adeel Asghar, Bareera Saeed, Hadiya Arshad, Farhat Fatima, and Azza Khan. 2025. “Self-Regulation, Academic Performance and Psychological Well-Being among University Students.” The Critical Review of Social Sciences Studies. https://doi.org/10.59075/w2thy656.
Kuh, G D, and et al. 2005. Student Success in College: Creating Conditions That Matter. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Multon, K D, S D Brown, and R W Lent. 1991. “Relation of Self-Efficacy Beliefs to Academic Outcomes: A Meta-Analytic Investigation.” Journal of Counseling Psychology 38 (1): 30–38. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.38.1.30.
Page, M, D Moher, and J McKenzie. 2021. “Introduction to PRISMA 2020 and Implications for Research Synthesis Methodologists.” Research Synthesis Methods 13: 156–63. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1535.
Pintrich, P R. 2000. “The Role of Goal Orientation in Self-Regulated Learning.” In Handbook of Self-Regulation, edited by M Boekaerts, P R Pintrich, and M Zeidner, 451–502. San Diego: Academic Press.
Pintrich, P R, and et al. 1991. “A Manual for the Use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ).” Ann Arbor, MI: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning.
Schunk, D H, and E L Usher. 2011. “Assessing Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning.” In Handbook of Self-Regulation of Learning and Performance, edited by B J Zimmerman and D H Schunk, 282–93. New York: Routledge.
Stajkovic, A D, and F Luthans. 1998. “Self-Efficacy and Work-Related Performance: A Meta-Analysis.” Psychological Bulletin 124 (2): 240–61. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.124.2.240.
Zimmerman, B J. 1990. “Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Achievement: An Overview.” Educational Psychologist 25 (1): 3–17. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2501_2.
———. 2013. “From Cognitive Modeling to Self-Regulation: A Social Cognitive Career Path.” Educational Psychologist 48 (3): 135–47.
Zimmerman, Barry J. 2000. “Self-Efficacy: An Essential Motive to Learn.” Contemporary Educational Psychology 25 (1): 82–91. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1016.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhamad Priyatna, Raharjo Raharjo, Fihris Fihris, Siti Afiah Halim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
