Academic Motivation, Resilience Resources, and Prior Performance as Predictors of Academic Adjustment among Fresh Undergraduates at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State

Abstract

The transition into university life poses academic, social, and emotional challenges that affect students’ adjustment and performance. Understanding how motivation, resilience, and prior achievement influence academic adjustment among Nigerian undergraduates remains essential yet underexplored. This study investigated the relationships and predictive influences of intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivation, resilience-related resources (coping skills and self-efficacy), and prior academic performance on the academic adjustment and engagement of fresh undergraduates at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. A descriptive survey design was employed, involving 206 participants selected through multi-stage sampling. Data were collected using validated instruments and analysed using Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses. Results revealed that intrinsic motivation had the strongest positive relationship with academic adjustment (r = .61, p < .01), followed by extrinsic motivation (r = .57, p < .01), resilience resources (r = .53, p < .01), and prior academic performance (r = .46, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the four predictors jointly explained 50% of the variance in academic adjustment (R = .71, R² = .50, F(4,201) = 50.25, p < .001). Among the predictors, intrinsic motivation emerged as the strongest relative contributor (β = 0.39, p < .001), followed by extrinsic motivation (β = 0.31, p < .001), resilience resources (β = 0.27, p < .001), and prior academic performance (β = 0.21, p < .001). These findings highlight the critical roles of motivation and resilience in supporting successful adjustment and engagement in higher education. Interventions targeting both intrinsic motivation and resilience capacities, alongside strategies leveraging prior academic performance, are recommended to enhance students’ adaptation to university life.