This study explores how motivation variables predict academic assessment outcomes among junior secondary school students in Aba Education Zone, Nigeria. Using a correlational design, 531 students were sampled through a multi-stage approach. Data were collected via the Motivation and Academic Assessment Outcome Questionnaire (MAAOQ), with a reliability coefficient of 0.869. Regression analysis showed that academic self-efficacy (β = .128, p < .05), self-regulation (β = .102, p < .05), and extrinsic motivation (β = .112, p < .05) significantly predicted academic outcomes, while intrinsic motivation (β = .008, p > .05) did not. Motivation variables explained 2.1% of the variance (R² = .021, p < .05), with self-efficacy as the strongest predictor. The study highlights the importance of self-efficacy, self-regulation, and extrinsic motivation in academic success and recommends fostering these skills while balancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to improve student assessment outcomes.
Keywords: Academic assessment outcomes, Extrinsic Motivation, Intrinsic Motivation, Self-Efficacy, self-regulation
