Psychology in the Schools, Vol. 52(5), 2015 C  2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pits DOI: 10.1002/pits.21836 THE POWER OF SOCIAL ANDMOTIVATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR TEST-ANXIOUS ADOLESCENTS’ ACADEMIC SELF-REGULATION DIANA RAUFELDER, FRANCES HOFERICHTER, AND DAVID SCHNEEWEISS Free University Berlin, Germany MEGAN A. WOOD Concordia University Montr´ eal Based on cognitive evaluation theory (CET) and organismic integration theory (OIT) – both sub- theories of self-determination theory (SDT) – the present study examined whether the academic self-regulation of youth with test anxiety can be strengthened through social and motivational relationships with peers and teachers. This study employed a large sample (N = 1088; MAge = 13.7) of early adolescents from secondary schools in Brandenburg, Germany. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed associations. The results revealed a negative association between test anxiety and intrinsic motivation as well as test anxiety and identified regulation, which was fully mediated by teachers as positive motivators. Furthermore, both teachers as positive motivators as well as the teacher-student relationship were found to be strong predictors of the self-determined aspects of academic self-regulation. Additionally, both peers as positive motivators and the student-student relationship are essential for external self-regulation. C  2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The concept of motivation is closely related to that of emotion, as both denote overlapping and interdependent concepts (cf. Tomkins, 1962). Although motivation constitutes a driving force for behavior, changes between positive and negative emotional states accompany and impact motivation accordingly (Gaulin & McBurney, 2006). The interdependence of motivation and emotion has been investigated within the school context. Research has demonstrated that positive emotions 1 (e.g., interest, joy) are related to high levels of motivation and consequently promote successful and sustainable learning (Baker, Grant, & Morlock, 2008; Connell & Wellborn, 1991; Deci & Ryan, 2000; Harter, 1996; Murray & Greenberg, 2001; Wentzel, 1997, 2005, 2009a, 2009b; Wentzel, Battle, Russell, & Looney, 2010), whereas negative emotions (e.g., boredom, fear) are associated with reduced intrinsic motivation (Deci & Ryan, 1990), lower school performance, and reduced creativity while problem solving (Chapell et al., 2005; Spitzer, 2006). The robust link between positive emotions and academic success is prevalent among researchers and educators. However, the awareness of the interdependence of emotion and motivation has not yet been the focus of daily motivational and learning processes in school, as emotions are rarely considered. Instead, teachers and schools are often so focused on academic achievement that they overlook the importance of emotions (Raufelder, Bukowski, & Mohr, 2013). Therefore, research on the implementation of learning environments that promote positive feelings, for example, by improving the quality of social relationships between students and teachers, is lacking. The research reported in this article was supported by a grant from The Volkswagen Foundation. The authors would like to thank the principals, teachers, and students involved for their cooperation in making these studies possible. Correspondence to: Diana Raufelder, Free University Berlin, Department of Educational Science and Psychology, AB Methods and Evaluation, Project SELF – Schumpeter Fellowship Volkswagen Foundation, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: diana.raufelder@fu-berlin.de 1 Emotions are not naturally positive or negative; they are, in fact, multidimensional constructs and evaluated by the subject (see Kristj´ ansson 2003; Solomon & Stone, 2002). 447