Should I ask for help? The role of motivation and help-seeking in students' academic achievement: A path analysis model

Abstract

Academic achievement is considered as one of the major factors in the learning process, as it is one of the complex variables that have an important influence on learning. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between academic motivation, academic help-seeking and academic achievement. A total of 437 university students were selected randomly (simple random-online questionnaires) from many Arab countries (Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Syria) who responded to the questionnaire on academic motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic and amotivation) and academic help-seeking (instrumental, executive, avoidance and benefits of help-seeking). Path analysis results showed direct effects from intrinsic motivation to instrumental help-seeking (0.291**), amotivation to executive help-seeking (0.709**), instrumental help-seeking to grade point average (GPA) (0.377**), executive help-seeking to GPA (−0.349**), intrinsic motivation to benefits of help-seeking (0.528**) and from amotivation to avoidance help-seeking (0.738**). Also, there were indirect effects from amotivation to GPA (−0.248**) and from intrinsic motivation to GPA (0.110**). The results illustrate the importance of academic motivation and help-seeking to provide a fuller understanding of students' academic achievement.