The construct validity of these scales is supported by evidence linking them to students’
motivational beliefs, motivational engagement, and to their cognitive and metacognitive strategy
use. Across several studies, findings indicate positive relations between five of the seven
motivational strategies and both task value and a mastery goal orientation (see Table 4). Hence,
there is strong evidence that students who express adaptive motivational beliefs are more likely
to report using several regulation of motivation strategies. The regulation of motivation scales
were less consistently tied to students’ self-efficacy. Although the significant correlations that
have been found all indicate a positive relation between feeling more confident in one’s abilities
and use of the regulation strategies. The regulation of motivation strategies also showed a less
consistent pattern of relations with students’ reported focus on wanting good grades or other
extrinsic goals. Further, this motivational belief was related negatively to students’ reported use
of motivational strategies in several instances.