Correlation of Self-Efficacy and Learning Strategies with Academic Commitment among the Students in Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences

Academic commitment is an important factor in studentschr(chr('39')39chr('39')) commitment to further education and their academic achievement, among which the role of cognitive beliefs and learning strategies in explaining it can be examined. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy and learning strategies with academic commitment in students.

This research is a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted in the academic year 2019-2020. The study population consisted of students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences. 300 students participated in this study by quota sampling method and using Cochranchr(chr('39')39chr('39'))s formula. Data were collected by using the Owen and Fromman Student Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, the Pintrich and DeGroot Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and the Human-Vogel and Robe Academic Commitment Scale. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 19 with descriptive and analytical statistics (Pearson correlation and linear regression).

Pearson correlation coefficient shows that academic commitment with self-efficacy (r = 0.469, P = 0.0001), cognitive learning strategies (r = 0.604, P = 0.0001) and metacognitive learning strategies (r = 0.642, P = 0.0001) has a positive and significant correlation (P <0.05). Also, the results of regression analysis showed that the predictor variables (ß) predict self-efficacy (0.11), cognitive (0.26) and metacognitive learning strategies (0.39) in a total of 0.46 of the variance of the academic commitment variable.

With increasing self-efficacy and cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies, the level of academic commitment in students increases. It is recommended that medical education planners pay attention to training programs in this area.