Disentangling the associations of academic motivation with self-concept and academic achievement using the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling framework

This study investigated the associations between academic motivation, self-concepts, and achievement in math and German using the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor-ESEM) framework. Data from two independent samples (N1 = 1402, N2 = 1154) of German elementary and secondary school students revealed that the bifactor-ESEM representation of academic motivation was the most optimal solution among all models (CFA, bifactor-CFA, ESEM, bifactor-ESEM). Measurement invariance was supported across domains and education levels for all models. Global self-determined motivation was strongly associated with both academic self-concept and academic achievement. The specific motivation factors also shared associations with these variables over and above those involving the global self-determined motivation factor. This study highlights the importance of distinguishing global and specific levels of academic motivation.