The Mediating Roles of Emotion Regulation and Goal Orientations in the Association between Academic Self-Regulation, Impulsivity, and Rumination

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examines the mediating roles of university students' goal orientations—specifically, learning and performance orientations—and emotion regulation strategies, namely cognitive reappraisal and emotional suppression, in the nexus between impulsivity, rumination, and academic self-regulation. Data were gathered from a sample of 720 students across multiple universities in Turkey. Academic Self-Regulation Scale, Emotion Regulation Scale, Goal Orientation Scale, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and the Ruminative Thinking Style Scale were utilized for data collection. Structural equation modeling revealed that impulsivity was both a direct and indirect negative predictor of academic self-regulation, mediated by cognitive reappraisal and learning and performance goal orientations. Conversely, rumination did not exhibit a direct or an indirect association with academic self-regulation, though it was a significant predictor for emotional suppression, which in turn, was not significantly linked to academic self-regulation. Based on these findings, we argue that implementing targeted interventions in goal orientations and emotion regulation strategies could improve self-regulation among impulsive students displaying high impulsivity. We further posit that the absence of a discernible impact of rumination on academic self-regulation might be attributed to the complex roles that rumination plays in the learning process. The study concludes by addressing the implications and limitations for future research and practice.