Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire SRQ-L

By /

Abstract

The Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-L) is an academic assessment tool designed to measure the reasons underlying learning and engagement behaviors among older students, typically those in college or medical school settings. Developed within the framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the SRQ-L focuses on identifying the extent to which a student’s motivation is either autonomous or controlled concerning specific course participation or skill development. Unlike its counterpart for children, the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (ASRQ), the SRQ-L aggregates individual regulatory styles into two primary, high-level factors: Controlled Regulation and Autonomous Regulation.

Keywords

Self-Regulation Questionnaire, SRQ-L, Self-Determination Theory, Academic Motivation, Higher Education, Learning Behavior, Controlled Regulation, Autonomous Regulation, Student Assessment.

Authors

G. C. Williams, E. L. Deci, A. E. Black

[quads id=5]

Purpose

The primary purpose of the SRQ-L is to assess the qualitative nature of student motivation in specific educational contexts, such as specialized college courses (e.g., organic chemistry) or professional training programs (e.g., medical school). The scale asks participants to evaluate how true various motivational reasons are for their engagement in learning-related behaviors within that specific setting.

The scale was initially developed to examine the internalization of biopsychosocial values by medical students participating in an “Organ Systems” course focusing on medical interviewing (Williams & Deci, 1996). A slightly adapted version was later used to study the motivation of college students learning organic chemistry (Black & Deci, 2000), demonstrating its adaptability across different academic disciplines and levels of higher education.

Construct

The SRQ-L is grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which posits that motivation exists on a continuum ranging from amotivation to Intrinsic Motivation. The SRQ-L specifically measures two broad categories of regulation, or “super-categories,” derived from this continuum:

  • Controlled Regulation: This subscale measures motivation driven by external pressures or internal self-imposed pressures. This includes both external regulation (e.g., seeking rewards or avoiding punishment, like getting a good grade) and introjected regulation (e.g., feeling obligated or avoiding guilt/shame).
  • Autonomous Regulation: This subscale measures motivation stemming from personal value or inherent enjoyment. This includes identified regulation (e.g., valuing the behavior as personally important) and intrinsic motivation (e.g., engaging because it is inherently interesting or exciting).

The design choice to aggregate these regulatory styles into the two broad factors (Controlled and Autonomous) was intentional, allowing researchers to focus on the overall degree of self-determination rather than the distinctions between closely related sub-styles.

Validity

The validation of the SRQ-L has been conducted exclusively at the level of the two “super” categories: Controlled Regulation and Autonomous Regulation. The scale demonstrates construct validity by aligning with core tenets of Self-Determination Theory, showing that autonomous forms of motivation correlate positively with desirable learning outcomes, such as deeper learning, better skill improvement, and greater persistence, as evidenced in the foundational studies (Williams & Deci, 1996; Black & Deci, 2000).

Reliability

Specific detailed reliability statistics (such as Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for internal consistency) were not provided for the individual regulatory styles, as the scale was not designed for psychometric evaluation at that granular level. Reliability is established for the overall Controlled Regulation subscale and the Autonomous Regulation subscale, ensuring these two aggregate scores provide reliable measures of the high-level motivational dichotomy.

Factor Analysis

The design of the SRQ-L inherently dictates a two-factor structure corresponding to the aggregated motivational styles. Factor analysis, where performed, supports the distinction between the two primary dimensions: Controlled Regulation and Autonomous Regulation. There was no attempt to conduct extensive psychometric work or factor analysis to differentiate the specific regulatory styles nested within these categories (e.g., distinguishing between identified regulation and intrinsic motivation within the Autonomous category).

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Questionnaire

Format: 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true).

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Older Students (Post-secondary/Higher Education)

Age Group: Late Adolescence through Adulthood (College and Professional School Students)

Population Details: Originally validated on medical students learning interviewing skills and college students studying organic chemistry. Adaptable for various professional and academic courses.

Test Methodology: Participants respond to items grouped under three general learning scenarios, indicating the degree to which each provided reason is true for them. The scale is easily adaptable by changing the reference course or program.

Keywords

Self-Determination, Academic Achievement, Student Engagement, Educational Psychology, Motivation Measurement, Introjected Regulation, External Regulation, Identified Regulation, Intrinsic Motivation.

[quads id=5]

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source content. (Information regarding the scale is hosted on the selfdeterminationtheory.org website.)

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale is generally made available through the Self-Determination Theory website. The initial versions were published in 1996 (Medical School version) and 2000 (Organic Chemistry version). Specific fee or licensing information should be confirmed via the official Self-Determination Theory resources (http://selfdeterminationtheory.org).

Reference’s

  • Black, A. E., & Deci, E. L. (2000). The effects of instructors’ autonomy support and students’ autonomous motivation on learning organic chemistry: A self-determination theory perspective. Science Education, 84, 740-756.
  • Williams, G. C., & Deci, E. L. (1996). Internalization of biopsychosocial values by medical students: A test of self-determination theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 767-779.

[quads id=5]

Items of the Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire SRQ-L

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The Scale
Learning Questionnaire (Medical Interviewing Version)
The following questions relate to your reasons for participating in the interviewing class. Different people have different reasons for participating in such a class‚ and we want to know how true each of these reasons is for you. There are three groups of items‚ and those in each group pertain to the sentence that begins that group.
Please indicate how true each reason is for you using the following scale:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
not at all
true
somewhat
true
very
true
A. I will participate actively in the organ systems classes:
1. Because I feel like it’s a good way to improve my skills and my understanding of patients.
2. Because others would think badly of me if I didn’t.
3. Because learning to interview well is an important part of becoming a doctor.
4. Because I would feel bad about myself if I didn’t study this approach.
B. I am likely to follow my instructor’s suggestions for interviewing:
5. Because I would get a good grade if I do what he/she suggests.
6. Because I believe my instructor’s suggestions will help me interview effectively.
7. Because I want others to think that I am a good interviewer.
8. Because it’s easier to do what I’m told than to think about it.
9. Because it’s important to me to do well at this.
10. Because I would probably feel guilty if I didn’t comply with my instructor’s suggestions.
C. The reason that I will continue to broaden my interviewing skills is:
11. Because it’s exciting to try new ways to work interpersonally with my patients.
12. Because I would feel proud if I did continued to improve at interviewing.
13. Because it’s a challenge to really understand what the patient is experiencing.
14. Because it’s interesting to use the interview to try to identify what disease the patient has.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Reasons for Learning Questionnaire (Organic Chemistry Version)
The following questions relate to your reasons for participating actively in your organic chemistry class. Different people have different reasons for their participation in such a class‚ and we want to know how true each of the reasons is for you. Please use the following scale to indicate how true each reason is for you:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
not at all
true
somewhat
true
very
true
A. I will participate actively in organic chemistry:
1. Because I feel like its a good way to improve my understanding of the material.
2. Because others might think badly of me if I didn’t.
3. Because I would feel proud of myself if I did well in the course.
4. Because a solid understanding of chemistry is important to my intellectual growth.
B. I am likely to follow my instructor’s suggestions for studying chemistry:
5. Because I would get a bad grade if I didn’t do what he/she suggests.
6. Because I am worried that I am not going to perform well in the course.
7. Because its easier to follow his/her suggestions than come up with my own study strategies.
8. Because he/she seems to have insight about how best to learn the material.
C. The reason that I will work to expand my knowledge of chemistry is:
9. Because its interesting to learn more about the nature of chemistry.
10. Because its a challenge to really understand how to solve chemistry problems.
11. Because a good grade in chemistry will look positive on my record.
12. Because I want others to see that I am intelligent.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Cite this article

Mohammed looti (2025). Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire SRQ-L. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Retrieved from https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/learning-self-regulation-questionnaire-srq-l-2/

Mohammed looti. "Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire SRQ-L." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 11 Oct. 2025, https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/learning-self-regulation-questionnaire-srq-l-2/.

Mohammed looti. "Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire SRQ-L." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 2025. https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/learning-self-regulation-questionnaire-srq-l-2/.

Mohammed looti (2025) 'Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire SRQ-L', Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Available at: https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/learning-self-regulation-questionnaire-srq-l-2/.

[1] Mohammed looti, "Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire SRQ-L," Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, October, 2025.

Mohammed looti. Learning Self-Regulation Questionnaire SRQ-L. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. 2025;vol(issue):pages.

Scroll to Top