{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T13:29:03Z","timestamp":1789046943068,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":62,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788998400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study investigates the relationships between academic motivation, learning strategies, and academic maladjustment among first-year undergraduate students at a science and technology university, with the aim of understanding factors that influence the transition to the university environment.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 383 first-year students from the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest participated in the study. Data were collected online using questionnaires assessing reasons for attending university, learning strategies, and academic maladjustment, including procrastination, test anxiety, lack of honesty, Machiavellian attitudes, neuroticism, and somatization. Correlational analyses and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between these variables.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Expectations and Lack of Alternatives\/Inertia emerged as consistent predictors of academic maladjustment, whereas Personal-Intellectual Development, Career\/Materialism, and Humanitarian orientations showed limited independent effects. Learning strategies made a relatively small contribution to maladjustment after controlling for motivation. When examined independently, concrete\/practical strategies were negatively associated with maladjustment, whereas memorization was positively associated with maladjustment, although these associations were weak.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The findings suggest that academic motivation may play a more important role than learning strategies in the academic adjustment of first-year students. The results support the value of integrated interventions combining motivation assessment, counseling, and the development of effective learning strategies to support students\u2019 autonomy, academic adjustment, and social integration.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1946367","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T12:35:46Z","timestamp":1789043746000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Motivation and learning strategies as predictors of academic maladjustment among first-year engineering students"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Gabriela Monica","family":"Biri\u0219","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Romanian Academy, Institute of Philosophy and Psychology \u201cConstantin R\u0103dulescu-Motru\u201d","place":["Bucharest, Romania"]},{"name":"The Department of Teacher Training and Social Sciences, The National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest","place":["Bucharest, Romania"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana-Maria","family":"Cazan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Romanian Academy, Institute of Philosophy and Psychology \u201cConstantin R\u0103dulescu-Motru\u201d","place":["Bucharest, Romania"]},{"name":"Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, Transilvania University of Bra\u0219ov","place":["Bra\u0219ov, Romania"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simona Nicoleta","family":"Neagu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Department of Teacher Training and Social Sciences, The National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest","place":["Bucharest, Romania"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2158244018824506","DOI":"10.1177\/2158244018824506","article-title":"Impact of time management behaviors on undergraduate engineering students' performance","volume":"9","author":"Adams","year":"2019","journal-title":"SAGE Open"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"587","DOI":"10.36681\/tused.2023.033","article-title":"Students' academic adjustment and science learning motivation at the university level","volume":"20","author":"Ahmad","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Turk. Sci. Educ."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"526","DOI":"10.1080\/03075079.2017.1383376","article-title":"Examining the experiences of first-year students with low tertiary admission scores in Australian universities","volume":"44","author":"Baik","year":"2019","journal-title":"Stud. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-0167.31.2.179","article-title":"Measuring adjustment to college","volume":"31","author":"Baker","year":"1984","journal-title":"J. Couns. Psychol."},{"key":"ref5","volume-title":"Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ): Manual.","author":"Baker","year":"1999"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-024-09940-8","article-title":"Study demands\u2013resources theory: understanding student well-being in higher education","volume":"36","author":"Bakker","year":"2024","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref9001","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00976194","article-title":"Dropouts and turnover: The synthesis and test of a causal model of student attrition","volume":"12","author":"Bean","year":"1980","journal-title":"Res. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.iheduc.2015.04.007","article-title":"Self-regulated learning strategies and academic achievement in online higher education learning environments: a systematic review","volume":"27","author":"Broadbent","year":"2015","journal-title":"Internet High. Educ."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103590","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jvb.2021.103590","article-title":"Linking undergraduate professional identity development in engineering to major embeddedness and persistence","volume":"128","author":"Burleson","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Vocat. Behav."},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sbspro.2012.01.092","article-title":"Self-regulated learning strategies: predictors of academic adjustment","volume":"33","author":"Cazan","year":"2012","journal-title":"Procedia. Soc. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315617367-10","article-title":"Self-directed learning and academic adjustment at Romanian students","volume":"6","author":"Cazan","year":"2015","journal-title":"Rom. J. Exp. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1275939","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1275939","article-title":"Validation study for the academic maladjustment questionnaire on a Romanian sample","volume":"14","author":"Cazan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"655","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sbspro.2014.03.330","article-title":"Academic adjustment questionnaire for the university students","volume":"127","author":"Clinciu","year":"2014","journal-title":"Procedia. Soc. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref13","first-page":"229","article-title":"Student motivations, learning environments, and human capital acquisition: toward an integrated paradigm of student development","volume":"38","author":"C\u00f4t\u00e9","year":"1997","journal-title":"J. Coll. Stud. Dev."},{"key":"ref14","volume-title":"Identity Formation, Agency, and Culture: A Social Psychological Synthesis","author":"C\u00f4t\u00e9","year":"2002"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-011-9184-5","article-title":"Adjustment to college as measured by the student adaptation to college questionnaire: a quantitative review of its structure and relationships with correlates and consequences","volume":"24","author":"Cred\u00e9","year":"2012","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref16","first-page":"39","volume-title":"Advances in Experimental Social Psychology","author":"Deci","year":"1980"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1207\/S15327965PLI1104_01","article-title":"The \"what\" and \"why\" of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior","volume":"11","author":"Deci","year":"2000","journal-title":"Psychol. Inq."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1353\/csd.2005.0023","article-title":"The role of motivation, parental support, and peer support in the academic success of ethnic minority first-generation college students","volume":"46","author":"Dennis","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Coll. Stud. Dev."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-015-9320-8","article-title":"The relation between self-regulated learning and academic achievement across childhood and adolescence: a meta-analysis","volume":"28","author":"Dent","year":"2016","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"499","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-012-9198-7","article-title":"A critical discussion of deep and surface processing: what it means, how it is measured, the role of context, and model specification","volume":"24","author":"Dinsmore","year":"2012","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lindif.2010.02.002","article-title":"Learning pattern development throughout higher education: a longitudinal study","volume":"20","author":"Donche","year":"2010","journal-title":"Learn. Individ. Differ."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.22492\/ije.5.3.04","article-title":"Elements of motivational structure for studying mechanical engineering","volume":"5","author":"Dubreta","year":"2017","journal-title":"IAFOR J. Educ."},{"key":"ref23","first-page":"1","volume-title":"Handbook of Student Engagement Interventions: Working with Disengaged Students","author":"Fredricks","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"321","DOI":"10.1002\/pits.21901","article-title":"Intrinsic motivation, learning goals, engagement, and achievement in a diverse high school population","volume":"53","author":"Froiland","year":"2016","journal-title":"Psychol. Sch."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"915","DOI":"10.1007\/s10798-018-9466-z","article-title":"Effects of pre-college variables and first-year engineering students' experiences on academic achievement and retention: a structural model","volume":"29","author":"Garc\u00eda-Ros","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Technol. Des. Educ."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.3389\/feduc.2018.00095","article-title":"Autonomy supportive contexts, autonomous motivation, and self-efficacy predict academic adjustment of first-year university students","volume":"3","author":"Girelli","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Educ."},{"key":"ref27","first-page":"495","article-title":"Identity-based motivation and engineering persistence: the role of belonging and future goals","volume":"109","author":"Godwin","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Eng. Educ."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"312","DOI":"10.1002\/jee.20118","article-title":"Identity, critical agency, and engineering: an affective model for predicting engineering as a career choice","volume":"105","author":"Godwin","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Eng. Educ."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1300","DOI":"10.1177\/1745691620966789","article-title":"Student motivation and associated outcomes: a meta-analysis from self-determination theory","volume":"16","author":"Howard","year":"2021","journal-title":"Perspect. Psychol. Sci."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"841","DOI":"10.1007\/s11162-007-9051-x","article-title":"Predicting transition and adjustment to college: biomedical and behavioral science aspirants' and minority students' first year of college","volume":"48","author":"Hurtado","year":"2007","journal-title":"Res. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102165","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lindif.2022.102165","article-title":"First-year students' motives for attending university studies and study-related burnout in relation to academic achievement","volume":"97","author":"Hyytinen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Learn. Individ. Differ."},{"key":"ref9002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2413","DOI":"10.1080\/03075079.2019.1612353","article-title":"Prospective effects of motivation for enrollment on well-being and motivation at university","volume":"45","author":"Janke","year":"2020","journal-title":"Stud. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref32","first-page":"1217","article-title":"Student engagement and study success in higher education: the role of academic motivation and learning approaches","volume":"36","author":"Korhonen","year":"2017","journal-title":"High. Educ. Res. Dev."},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1057697","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.1057697","article-title":"Emotion regulation, academic buoyancy, and academic adjustment of university students within a self-determination theory framework: a systematic review","volume":"13","author":"Kritikou","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-019-09477-1","article-title":"Do motivational regulation strategies contribute to academic achievement? A meta-analysis","volume":"32","author":"Kryshko","year":"2020","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"222","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci16020222","article-title":"Comparative effects of esports and traditional sports on motor skills and cognitive performance in higher education students in a post-pandemic context","volume":"16","author":"Leonte","year":"2026","journal-title":"Educ. Sci."},{"key":"ref36","first-page":"458","article-title":"A comparison of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors as predictors of civil engineering students\u2019 academic success","volume":"35","author":"Martin","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Eng. Educ."},{"key":"ref37","author":"Neagu","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"422","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.00422","article-title":"A review of self-regulated learning: six models and four directions for research","volume":"8","author":"Panadero","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1080\/01443410802521066","article-title":"Adjustment to university and academic performance among disadvantaged students in South Africa","volume":"29","author":"Petersen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-004-0006-x","article-title":"A conceptual framework for assessing motivation and self-regulated learning in college students","volume":"16","author":"Pintrich","year":"2004","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-0663.82.1.33","article-title":"Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance","volume":"82","author":"Pintrich","year":"1990","journal-title":"J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref42","volume-title":"A Manual for the Use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ)","author":"Pintrich","year":"1991"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.1037\/a0026838","article-title":"Psychological correlates of university students' academic performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"138","author":"Richardson","year":"2012","journal-title":"Psychol. Bull."},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci12060369","article-title":"The influence of students' self-determination and personal achievement goals in learning and engagement: a mediation model for traditional and nontraditional students","volume":"12","author":"Rothes","year":"2022","journal-title":"Educ. Sci."},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1521\/978.14625\/28806","volume-title":"Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness","author":"Ryan","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101860","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cedpsych.2020.101860","article-title":"Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: definitions, theory, practices, and future directions","volume":"61","author":"Ryan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Contemp. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.5539\/hes.v7n1p46","article-title":"Student attraction, persistence and retention in STEM programs: successes and continuing challenges","volume":"7","author":"Sithole","year":"2017","journal-title":"High. Educ. Stud."},{"key":"ref48","first-page":"1","author":"Stanica","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-019-09465-5","article-title":"Cognitive architecture and instructional design: 20 years later","volume":"31","author":"Sweller","year":"2019","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.3102\/00346543045001089","article-title":"Dropout from higher education: a theoretical synthesis of recent research","volume":"45","author":"Tinto","year":"1975","journal-title":"Rev. Educ. Res."},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1007\/s10212-017-0347-8","article-title":"First-year university students' academic success: the importance of academic adjustment","volume":"33","author":"van Rooij","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur. J. Psychol. Educ."},{"key":"ref52","volume-title":"Inventory of Learning Styles in Higher Education: Scoring Key and Norms.","author":"Vermunt","year":"1994"},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1111\/j.2044-8279.1998.tb01281.x","article-title":"The regulation of constructive learning processes","volume":"68","author":"Vermunt","year":"1998","journal-title":"Br. J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-017-9414-6","article-title":"A learning patterns perspective on student learning in higher education: state of the art and new developments","volume":"29","author":"Vermunt","year":"2017","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-004-0005-y","article-title":"Patterns in student learning: relationships between learning strategies, conceptions of learning, and learning orientations","volume":"16","author":"Vermunt","year":"2004","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6512","DOI":"10.3390\/su17146512","article-title":"Perfectionism and workaholism as barriers to lifelong learning and occupational sustainability: a cross-professional analysis","volume":"17","author":"Vieriu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"ref57","first-page":"3977","author":"Vieriu","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.14786\/flr.v9i2.647","article-title":"Predicting freshmen's academic adjustment and subsequent achievement: differences between academic and professional higher education contexts","volume":"9","author":"Willems","year":"2021","journal-title":"Frontline Learn. Res."},{"key":"ref59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2191","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2013.281053","article-title":"World medical association declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects","volume":"310","year":"2013","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.1207\/S15430421TIP4102_2","article-title":"Becoming a self-regulated learner: an overview","volume":"41","author":"Zimmerman","year":"2002","journal-title":"Theory Pract."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1946367\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T12:35:48Z","timestamp":1789043748000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1946367\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]]},"references-count":62,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1946367"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1946367","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]]},"article-number":"1946367"}}